Coxiella Burnetii Lipopolysaccharides: Structural Characterization, Chemical Synthesis and Immunogen Development.

Component structures of Coxiella burnetii lipopolysaccharide have been provided for a detailed structural analysis of sequence and branching. Because of the SDS-PAGE electrophoretic simplicity, much effort has been focused on the lipopolysaccharide obtained from phase II. The results indicate a basic core structure consisting of a 1-3-mannoheptose backbone with every residue 1-2 branched with a single mannose moiety. Lipid C, obtained from LPS-II, the counterpart of Saimonella lipid A, appears to be quite unusual in that it lacks carbohydrate and is small in molecular weight. Lipopolysaccharide obtained from phase I has indicated some homology with phase II with the same tetrasaccharide. Methods have been developed to examine these structures at greater sensitivity and specificity. Limitations to effective structural conclusions relate to the complications of partial hydrolytic degradations. Keywords Immunogen.