Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

ECA, the enterobacterial common antigen.

H M Kuhn1, U Meier-Dieter, H Mayer

  • 1Forschungsinstitut Borstel, F.R.G.

FEMS Microbiology Reviews
|September 1, 1988
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Role of cervical cerclage and prolonged antibiotic therapy with azithromycin in patients with previous perinatal loss amnionitis.

The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine : the official journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians·2016
Same author

Optimization of in vitro cultivation strategies for human adipocyte derived stem cells.

Adipocyte·2015
Same author

PP113. NT-Pro-BNP: A predictor of adverse maternal outcomes in hypertensive gestational syndromes?

Pregnancy hypertension·2015
Same author

[Skilled communication as "intervention" : Models for systematic communication in the healthcare system].

Der Anaesthesist·2014
Same author

Adaptive Radiotherapy Using Deformable Image Registration - A Concept for Individualised Radiation Treatments.

Biomedizinische Technik. Biomedical engineering·2013
Same author

Constant and variable amplitude ultrasonic fatigue of 2024-T351 aluminium alloy at different load ratios.

Ultrasonics·2013
Same journal

Feeding the invaders: How metabolic imbalance shapes infection and biofilm development.

FEMS microbiology reviews·2026
Same journal

Interactions between extracellular vesicles and viruses: lessons learned across species and kingdoms.

FEMS microbiology reviews·2026
Same journal

Killer Peptide: an antibody-derived self-assembling peptide bridging antimicrobial and host-defense mechanisms.

FEMS microbiology reviews·2026
Same journal

From gatekeeper to target: MAPK cascades as control circuits at the insect-microbe interface.

FEMS microbiology reviews·2026
Same journal

The role of fungal G protein-coupled receptors in interspecies cell-cell communication.

FEMS microbiology reviews·2026
Same journal

Convergent symbioses: morphology, life history, and niche specialization in coral and lichen mutualisms.

FEMS microbiology reviews·2026
See all related articles

Enterobacterial common antigen (ECA) is a unique surface antigen found in all Enterobacteriaceae. Its family specificity offers potential for bacterial taxonomy and diagnostics.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Bacterial Cell Surface

Background:

  • Enterobacterial common antigen (ECA) is a conserved surface antigen specific to the Enterobacteriaceae family.
  • ECA is a glycophospholipid located in the outer membrane's outer leaflet.
  • Its presence is consistent across wild-type and laboratory strains, including Escherichia coli K-12.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the family-specific nature of ECA within Enterobacteriaceae.
  • To underscore the potential utility of ECA in bacterial taxonomy and diagnostics.
  • To describe the structural composition and location of ECA.

Main Methods:

  • Structural analysis of ECA.
  • Biochemical characterization of ECA.
  • Genetic analysis of ECA biosynthesis pathways.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • ECA is a glycophospholipid composed of an aminosugar heteropolymer linked to L-glycerophosphatidyl residue.
  • In some rough mutants, the ECA sugar chain can attach to the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) core.
  • A lipid-free cyclic form of ECA has been identified in Shigella sonnei.
  • ECA biosynthesis shares precursors and carrier lipids with LPS biosynthesis.

Conclusions:

  • ECA's family specificity makes it a valuable marker for Enterobacteriaceae identification and classification.
  • Understanding ECA structure and biosynthesis provides insights into bacterial cell envelope composition.
  • The close relationship between ECA and LPS biosynthesis suggests coordinated regulation.