Genetic studies of serogroup 6 isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae identified putative serotype 6E. Although its capsular polysaccharide structure has not been elucidated, putative serotype 6E is described in an increasing number of studies as a potentially new serotype. We show here that SPEC6B, which is widely used as a target strain for serotype 6B opsonophagocytosis assays, has the genetic features of the putative serotype 6E but produces capsular polysaccharide identical to 6B capsular polysaccharide as determined by one-dimensional (1D) and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Thus, putative serotype 6E is a mere genetic variant of serotype 6B. Also, SPEC6B is appropriate as a target strain for serotype 6B opsonophagocytosis assays. This example illustrates the difficulties of assigning new bacterial serotypes based on genetic findings alone.
CITATION STYLE
Burton, R. L., Geno, K. A., Saad, J. S., & Nahm, M. H. (2016). Pneumococcus with the “6E” CPS locus produces serotype 6B capsular polysaccharide. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 54(4), 967–971. https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.03194-15
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