AGGLUTINATION OF STREPTOCOCCUS-SUIS BY SIALIC ACID-BINDING LECTINS

The 35 Streptococcus suis capsular-type reference strains as well as 45 held strains of type 2 were tested with sialic acid-binding lectins from Sambucus nigra. (SNA I), Triticum vulgaris, Maackia amurensis, Homarus americanus, and Limax flavus. Only types 1, 1/2, 2, 14, 15, and 16 agglutinated with SNA I and/or the T. vulgaris lectin. All field strains agglutinated only with SNA I. Reaction with SNA I was probably due to the sialic acid moiety since it disappeared after sialidase treatment. These results confirm the presence of sialic acid in S. suis with the possible terminal sequence N-acetylneuraminic acid-alpha(2,6)GalNAc.