Preservation of capsular material of streptococcal cells by specific lectins determined by immunoelectron microscopy.

The Histochemical journal ·Vol. 20 ·No. 9 ·1988-09-00 ·Pages 526-30

Molinari A, Orefici G, Donelli G, Von Hunolstein C, Paradisi S, Arancia G

Abstract

We describe the use of lectins as specific stabilizing agents for the polysaccharide capsular components of two Gram-positive bacteria, Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus bovis. Treatment of bacterial suspensions with wheatgerm agglutinin and concanavalin A allowed better morphological preservation as well as immunoelectron microscopic localization of a capsular component (lipoteichoic acid) by employing specific antibodies and the protein A-gold technique. Data obtained indicate that lectins are useful agents in preserving highly water-soluble capsular components during the electron microscopy procedures for both unembedded and embedded samples.

MeSH Terms

Animals Concanavalin A Immunohistochemistry Lipopolysaccharides/analysis,immunology Microscopy, Electron/methods Preservation, Biological Streptococcus agalactiae/analysis,ultrastructure Teichoic Acids/analysis,immunology Wheat Germ Agglutinins

Chemicals

Lipopolysaccharides Teichoic Acids Wheat Germ Agglutinins Concanavalin A lipoteichoic acid

Authors & Affiliations

6 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID

Molinari A

Department of Ultrastructures, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.

Orefici G

Donelli G

Von Hunolstein C

Paradisi S

Arancia G

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15 references, click to expand

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Article Info

Journal

The Histochemical journal

Abbr.

Histochem J

ISSN

0018-2214

DOI

10.1007/BF01002651

Published

1988-09-00

Pages

526-30

Language

English

Region

Netherlands

NLM ID

0163161

Subset

External Links

PubMed source DOI: 10.1007/BF01002651

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Preservation of capsular material of streptococcal cells by specific lectins determined by immunoelectron microscopy.

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