STRUCTURAL STUDIES OF THE O-SPECIFIC POLYSACCHARIDE OF HAFNIA-ALVEI STRAIN-1209 LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE

The structure of the O-specific side chains of the Hafnia alvei strain 1209 lipopolysaccharide has been investigated. Methylation analysis a nd H-1-NMR and C-13-NMR spectroscopy were the principal methods used. It is concluded that the polysaccharide is composed of pentasaccharide repeating units that have the following structure: [GRAPHICS] The rel ative intensity of the signals from the terminal repeating unit in the H-1-NMR spectrum, the amount of 2,3,6-tri-O-methylgalactose in the me thylation analysis, and the matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionisatio n time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrum of the O-polysaccharide ind icated that the structure is also the biological repeating unit and th at the O-chains mainly consisted of 8-11 repeating units and, on avera ge, ten repeating units.