Wall teichoic acids prevent antibody binding to epitopes
within the cell wall of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>
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Abstract
<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> is a Gram-positive bacterial
pathogen that produces a range of infections including cellulitis,
pneumonia, and septicemia. The principle mechanism in antistaphylococcal
host defense is opsonization with antibodies and complement proteins,
followed by phagocytic clearance. Here we use a previously developed
technique for installing chemical epitopes in the peptidoglycan cell
wall to show that surface glycopolymers known as wall teichoic acids
conceal cell wall epitopes, preventing their recognition and opsonization
by antibodies. Thus, our results reveal a previously unrecognized
immunoevasive role for wall teichoic acids in <i>S. aureus</i>: repulsion of peptidoglycan-targeted antibodies