Common antigen lipopolysaccharide from Pseudomonas aeruginosa AK1401 as a receptor for bacteriophage A7

A-band, a D-rhamnose-containing common lipopolysaccharide antigen isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa AK1401, was found to be a receptor for bacteriophage A7. The phage-borne rhamnanase was capable of hydrolyzing the A-band to expose core-lipid A containing only two or three rhamnose repeats. Interaction of the hydrolyzed A-band with core- or lipid A-specific monoclonal antibodies revealed that common epitopes exist in the inner core and lipid A regions, while the outer core of A-band appears to be different from that of the serotype-specific (B-band) lipopolysaccharide.