Which organism possesses a poly-D-glutamate capsule and is historically linked to Wool Sorters' disease?

Which organism possesses a poly-D-glutamate capsule and is historically linked to Wool Sorters' disease?

• A. Listeria monocytogenes
• B. Clostridium tetani
• C. Corynebacterium diphtheriae
• D. Bacillus anthracis

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is that this bacterium has a distinctive capsule made of poly-D-glutamic acid that acts as a powerful shield against the immune system. This capsule is unusual because it’s a polypeptide capsule rather than a typical polysaccharide one, and it helps the bacterium resist being eaten by phagocytes, allowing it to survive and spread in the body after inhalation. Wool Sorters' disease is the historical name for inhalational anthrax, the illness caused by Bacillus anthracis when people inhale its spores. The poly-D-glutamic acid capsule is a hallmark virulence feature of this organism and is closely tied to its ability to cause severe, widespread disease. The other organisms listed rely on different virulence factors and do not feature this poly-D-glutamic acid capsule as their signature trait. So the organism that combines the poly-D-glutamic acid capsule with the Wool Sorters’ disease association is Bacillus anthracis.

The main idea here is that this bacterium has a distinctive capsule made of poly-D-glutamic acid that acts as a powerful shield against the immune system. This capsule is unusual because it’s a polypeptide capsule rather than a typical polysaccharide one, and it helps the bacterium resist being eaten by phagocytes, allowing it to survive and spread in the body after inhalation.

Wool Sorters' disease is the historical name for inhalational anthrax, the illness caused by Bacillus anthracis when people inhale its spores. The poly-D-glutamic acid capsule is a hallmark virulence feature of this organism and is closely tied to its ability to cause severe, widespread disease.

The other organisms listed rely on different virulence factors and do not feature this poly-D-glutamic acid capsule as their signature trait. So the organism that combines the poly-D-glutamic acid capsule with the Wool Sorters’ disease association is Bacillus anthracis.