Immunological characterization of Yersinia enterocolitica O:9 and O:3 LPS antigens by monoclonal antibodies.

LPS-specific monoclonal antibodies induced against Y. enterocolitica serotype O:9 bacteria and against Y. enterocolitica O:3 were used in a comparative study to characterize the O:9 and O:3 LPS. Yersinia bacteria grown at 22 degrees C and 37 degrees C and LPS preparations thereof were tested. SDS-PAGE, Western blot analysis and adsorption procedures revealed that LPS of Y. enterocolitica O:9 differed from that of Y. enterocolitica O:3 in: (i) its repeating LPS O-side-chain sugar, (ii) its shorter length of the LPS O-side-chain and (iii) its failure to show temperature-dependent variation in the length of O-side-chains.