Neisseria meningitidis serogroup Y polysaccharide (None)

The Neisseria meningitidis serogroup Y polysaccharide is a capsular polysaccharide that serves as the primary antigenic determinant for classifying N. meningitidis into serogroup Y. The capsule is a major virulence factor, enabling the bacterium to evade host immune responses and cause invasive diseases such as meningitis and septicemia. It consists of repeating disaccharide units of D-glucose and N-acetylneuraminic acid linked via α(2→6) and α(1→4) glycosidic bonds. Antibodies targeting this capsule confer protection against infection, making it a key component of quadrivalent conjugate vaccines (MenACWY).

Antibody-mediated neutralization and opsonization