Pier, Gerald B.Coleman, FadieGrout, MarthaFranklin, Michael J.Ohman, Dennis E.2017-06-202017-06-202001-03Pier GB, Coleman F, Grout M, Franklin M, Ohman DE, "Role of alginate O acetylation in resistance of mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa to opsonic phagocytosis," Infect Immun, 2001 69(3):1895-19010019-9567https://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/13084Establishment and maintenance of chronic lung infections with mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) require that the bacteria avoid host defenses. Elaboration of the extracellular, O-acetylated mucoid exopolysaccharide, or alginate, is a major microbial factor in resistance to immune effectors. Here we show that O acetylation of alginate maximizes the resistance of mucoid P. aeruginosa to antibody-independent opsonic killing and is the molecular basis for the resistance of mucoid P. aeruginosa to normally nonopsonic but alginate-specific antibodies found in normal human sera and sera of infected CF patients. O acetylation of alginate appears to be critical for P. aeruginosaresistance to host immune effectors in CF patients.Article