STRUCTURAL STUDIES OF O-SPECIFIC POLYSACCHARIDE CHAINS OF THE LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE FROM YERSINIA-ENTEROCOLITICA SEROVAR 0 10/

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was isolated from Yersinia enterocolitica ser ovars O:10 and O:10 KL and the structural pattern of O-specific sugar chains elucidated. The rhamnan and L-xylulose (L-threo-pent-2-ulose) a s constituents of the O-specific polysaccharide were obtained by autoh ydrolysis of the LPS. The rhamnan was shown to be a linear, alpha-(1 - -> 3)-linked polysaccharide in the D configuration. L-Xylulose was pur ified using paper chromatography on a preparative scale and its struct ure was confirmed by C-13 NMR spectroscopy. Using sugar and methylatio n analysis and C-13 NMR spectroscopy of the LPS and the rhamnan, the s tructural features of the disaccharide repeating unit of the Y. entero colitica O:10 O-specific polysaccharide were elucidated as: GRAPHICS