Inhibiting Materials for γ Phage Adsorption to the Cell Wall of Bacillus anthracis, Strain Pasteur No. 2‐H

Abstract

Cell wall preparations of Bacillus anthracis, strain Pasteur No. 2‐H, were treated with heat or with acetone and ether. Both of the treated cell walls preparations inactivated γ phage. The centrifuged supernatant of the heat‐treated cell walls was fractionated on Sephadex G‐200, and four fractions containing reducing sugars were obtained. The first fraction had the phage‐inactivating activity. On the other hand, the fourth fraction had no phage‐inactivating activity, but strongly inhibited phage adsorption to the cell walls. In the fourth fraction, glutamic acid, alanine, 2, 6‐diaminopimelic acid and glucosamine were detected by paper chromatography after acid hydrolysis. Authentic D,L‐2, 6‐diaminopimelic acid and D‐glucosamine markedly inhibited phage adsorption to the cell walls. D‐Galactosamine, D‐mannosamine and L‐lysine also showed similar activities. Results suggest the possibility that one or a combination of these substances defines the characteristics of phage adsorption to the cell walls of B. anthracis, strain Pasteur No. 2‐H.

Identification of theBacillus anthracisγ Phage Receptor

“…The ␥ phage receptor is probably a cell wall-associated protein. Indeed, some of the substances described as determinants of the phage receptor site are constituents of the peptidoglycan or of the associated polysaccharide (23,44). To identify the ␥ phage receptor, we assayed the resistance of B. anthracis mutants deficient in cell wall protein anchoring.…”

“…Lantos and Ivanovics reported that ␥ phage binding was lost after a treatment with 5% trichloracetic at 90°C and then trypsin, suggesting that the receptor might be a protein (15). Watanabe and Shiomi suggested that one or a combination of the following substances, meso-Dap, D-glucosamine, D-galactosamine, D-mannosamine, constituents of the peptidoglycan or the associated polysaccharide (23), and L-lysine, constitute the phage receptor site (44). They excluded the protein hypothesis due to maintenance of phage binding after solvent treatment.…”