Role of lipooligosaccharide in the attachment of Moraxella catarrhalis to human pharyngeal epithelial cells

The goal of this study was to determine the role of lipooligosaccharide in the attachment of Moraxella catarrhalis to human pharyngeal epithelial cells. Strain 2951 and its P-k mutant strain 2951 galE were used in this study. This study suggests that the p(k) epitope of LOS is not an adhesin for M. catarrhalis, but plays a crucial role by its surface charge in the initial stage of attachment.