Chemically-defined, sialic acid-free medium, prepared as previously described and verified by HPLC to be sialic acid free, was used to cultivate Leptospira in experiments where the lack of exogenous sialic acids was a necessary condition [38]. PCR of sialic acid cluster genes Primers based on the genome of L. interrogans L1-130 were Bucladesine in vivo designed for the detection of genes in the sialic acid cluster as follows: sasfrontF (5′- TCC GGA AAT GCG AAT GAT G-3′), sasfrontR

(5′- CAC CGG GCA AAA GAC TAA CCT – 3′), sasendF (5′- CGG ATA TAG CGG ACG ATG TAA – 3′), sasendR (5′- CGC CAA AAA GCC AAG GAA – 3′), neuA2F (5′- TGA AGC GGC AAA AAG AGC – 3′), neuA2R (5′- TGA AAT AAC ATG CCG ACA AAT A – 3′), neuCfrontF (5′- CGC TAC GGG AAT GCA TCT GTC TC selleck – 3′), neuCfrontR (5′- CCC ATT CCC CCA ACC

AAA AA – 3′), neuCendF (5′- GGC GAG GAT CCT TCT AAT GTT TTT – 3′) and neuCendR (5′- ACT CGC TCC GCC TTC ACC A – 3′). PCR reactions were prepared using 0.2 mM of each primer in a 20 μL reaction with DNA from the pathogens L. interrogans Lai, L. interrogans L1-130, the intermediates L. licerasiae and L. fainei and the saprophyte L. biflexa serovar Patoc. NeuA2 and neuBfront reactions used an annealing temperature of 52°C. NeuCfront, neuCend, sasfront and sasend were run using an annealing temperature of 58°C. A 16 S gene PCR reaction using previously published primers fLIP and rLIP1 was used as a control for integrity of DNA. NeuA2 southern blot Genomic DNA samples of Salmonella enterica, L. interrogans serovar Lai str. 56601, L. interrogans serovar Copenhageni str. L1-130, L. biflexa serovar Patoc, L. licerasiae strains CEH008 and MMD4847, L. interrogans serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae str.MMD3731 and L. fainei serovar Hurstbridge were prepared into plugs using 1 % agarose and 0.5x TBE. These were subjected to depurination and denaturing conditions. DNA was then transferred to a positively

charged membrane via overnight capillary transfer with 20x SSC. Finally the DNA was cross-linked to the membrane using short wave DNA for 15 min. 10 mL of pre-hybridization solution (QuikHyb, Stratagene) were warmed to 40°C prior to hybridization. Hybridization was done overnight at 40-42°C using the same solution and adding 10 mL of DIG-labeled PCR product of primer neuA2F (5′ – TGA AGC GGC AAA AAG AGC – 3′) and neuA2R (5 OSBPL9 ′- TGA AAT AAC ATG CCG ACA AAT A – 3′). 2xSSC at room temperature and 1x SSC at 68°C were used for stringency washes. A chemiluminescent substrate and an alkaline phosphatase conjugated anti-DIG antibody were used to demonstrate binding of the probe. Mild acid hydrolysis and DMB-derivatization of nonulosonic acids Mild (2 N) acetic acid hydrolysis was performed to release Selleck Proteasome inhibitor surface nonulosonic acids from Leptospira. 4 N acetic acid was added to an equal volume of extensively washed and resuspended pellets followed by 3 h of incubation at 80°C.