Bacillus anthracis capsule

Uchida, I., Makino, S., Sekizaki, T., Terakado, N. (1997). Crosstalk to the genes for Bacillus anthracis capsule synthesis by atxA, the gene encoding the trans-activator of anthrax toxin synthesis. Mol. Microbiol. 23 1229-40. 

Bacillus anthracis, the causative organism of anthrax, possesses a capsule composed of polyglutamic acid the slime layers produced by other organisms are of a carbohydrate nature. 

Schneerson R, Kubler-Kielb J, Liu TY et al (2003) Poly(y-D-glutamic acid) protein conjugates induce IgG antibodies in mice to the capsule of Bacillus anthracis a potential addition to the anthrax vaccine. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 100 8945-8950... 

Wang TT, Fellows PF, Leighton TJ et al (2004) Induction of opsonic antibodies to the gamma-D-glutamic acid capsule of Bacillus anthracis by immunization with a synthetic peptide-carrier protein conjugate. FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol 40 231-237... 

Joyce J, Cook J, Chabot D et al (2006) Immunogenicity and protective efficacy of Bacillus anthracis poly-y-D-glutamic acid capsule covalently coupled to a protein carrier using a novel triazine-based conjugation strategy. J Biol Chem 281 4831 -843... 

The basis of phenotypic discrimination of closely related species via Raman spectroscopy lies in its sensitivity to the intracellular molecular components including extrachromosomally encoded phenotypes, such as the Bacillus anthracis or B. thuringiensis toxins or polyglutamic acid capsules. Other prominent examples are cell storage materials like the polyhydroxy butyric acid (PHB), carotenoid-based pigments like sarcinaxanthin, hemoproteins like cytochrome or calcium dipicolinate (CaDPA). Raman spectra of single bacteria, in which the latter four intracellular substances occur, are shown in... 

Drysdale, M., Heninger, S., Hutt, J., Chen, Y., Lyons, C.R., Koehler, T.M. (2005). Capsule synthesis by Bacillus anthracis is required for dissemination in murine inhalation anthrax. EMBO J. 24 221-7. 

Immunohistochemical staining of Bacillus anthracis with monoclonal antibodies against cell wall and capsule antigens has been successfully used in the recognition of bioterrorism-related anthrax cases and is an important step in early diagnosis and treatment (Fig. 3.26A-C). Gram staining and culture isolation of... 

Several pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Bacillus anthracis, the cause of anthrax) produce an outermost mucoid layer called a capsule. Capsules may be composed of polysaccharide or protein. What effect do you think this coat would have on a bacterium s interactions with an animal s immune system ... 

The 7-PGA is a water soluble polymer which for Bacillus Anthracis is present in the capsule of the bacterium serving as a structural component of the cell membrane. In contrast, for certain strains of Bacillus sub-tilis, most if not all of the r-PGA formed diffuses freely into the growth medium. ... 

Kaolin is practically insoluble in water and organic solvents. It is also insoluble in mineral acids and solutions of alkali hydroxides. Unless sterilized, it may be heavily contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacillus anthracis, clostridium tetani and clostridium welchii. It can be sterilized by maintaining the whole at a temperature not less than 160°C for not less than one hour. The primary applieations of Kaolin USP in the pharmaceutical industry are as an adsorbent at eoneentrations of 7.5 to 55%, dusting powders at 25%, and poultices at a level of 53%. Kaolin has also been used as a diluent in tablet and capsule formulations. Kaolin Mixture with Pectin (Gennaro, 1990), an example of a pharmaceutical adsorbent formulation, is shown below. 

Cap E, a 47-peptide encoded by cap E and localized in the membrane of Bacillus an-thracis. Cap E is required for B. anthracis polyglutamate capsule synthesis. The capsule is composed ofpoly-y-D-glutamate and is covalently bound to the peptidoglycan [T. Candela et al., J. Bacterial. 2005,187, 7765]. 

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