Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli O-antigen Polysaccharide (ExPEC O-antigen)

The O-antigen polysaccharide is a key surface component of extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC), which are strains of E. coli responsible for infections outside the intestinal tract. The O-antigen forms the outermost part of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) layer on the bacterial outer membrane and is composed of repeating oligosaccharide units that vary in structure among different serotypes. It protects ExPEC from host immune defenses and is a critical role in immune evasion and virulence. As a major surface antigen, the O-antigen is an attractive target for multivalent vaccines. Genes responsible for synthesis are organized into clusters typically located between galF and gnd loci on the chromosome.

Other names

ExPEC O-antigen polysaccharideE. coli O-antigenO-polysaccharideLPS O-antigen

Opsonophagocytic killing (via elicited antibodies)