Glycerol Teichoic Acid as a Common Antigenic Factor in Lactobacilli and Some Other Gram-positive Organisms Sharpe, M. Elisabeth and Brock, J. H. and Knox, K. W. and Wicken, A. J.,, 74, 119-126 (1973), doi = https://doi.org/10.1099/00221287-74-1-119, publicationName = Microbiology Society, issn = 1350-0872, abstract= SUMMARY: An antiserum prepared against a strain of Lactobacillus acidophilus gave a reaction of identity with HCl extracts of strains of lactobacilli, some pediococci and leuconostocs and Staphylococcus aureus. The antigenic determinant, isolated from a strain of L. casei ro–94 was identified as a membrane glycerol teichoic acid. Purified membrane lipoteichoic acids from Lactobacillus serological groups A, B, C, D and F and streptococcal polyglycerophosphate also reacted with the antiserum. The antigen-antibody reaction was partially inhibited by α-glycerophosphate and strongly inhibited by glycerol-phosphoryl-glycerol-phosphoryl-glycerol, but was not inhibited by glucose. It was concluded that the antiserum was reacting with the common polyglycerophosphate backbone of the membrane teichoic acids in the reacting strains., language=, type=