Structure-function relationship: biological activities of the lipopolysaccharides and lipid A from Vibrio cholerae.

The biological activities of lipopolysaccharides and the lipid A moiety from five different strains of Vibrio cholerae have been investigated. Lipid A was biologically the most active component of lipopolysaccharides from these bacteria. Immunization of rabbits with lipid A from Inaba (66/64) strain led to the production of specific antibodies to lipid A. On fractionation of the immunoglobulins with Sephadex G-200 column chromatography, antibodies against lipid A were detected in the IgM and IgG fractions.