STRUCTURAL AND SEROLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE O-ANTIGENIC POLYSACCHARIDE OF THE LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE FROM ACINETOBACTER-HAEMOLYTICUS, STRAIN ATCC-17906

A polysaccharide containing 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galacturonic acid (G alNAcA), 2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-D-glucose (QuiNAc4NAc), and D- alanine (Ala) was isolated from the water-soluble lipopolysaccharide ( LPS) originating from the reference strain for Acinetobacter haemolyti cus (DNA group 4) strain ATCC 17906. The polysaccharide, characterised by means of monosaccharide analyses and NMR studies, was shown to be based on a linear trisaccharide repeating unit, as shown below, with t he alanine group amide-bound to position 6 of one GalNAcA residue. It was specifically recognised in western blots by polyclonal rabbit anti sera. [GRAPHICS]