KLEBSIELLA K-43 CAPSULAR POLYSACCHARIDE - PRIMARY STRUCTURE AND DEPOLYMERIZATION BY A VIRAL-BORNE ENDOGLYCANASE

The capsular polysaccharide of Klebsiella K43 has been studied by glyc ose analysis, methylation analysis, and NMR spectroscopy, and by bacte riophage depolymerisation of the native polysaccharide. Additional evi dence for the structure of the repeating unit came from base-catalysed degradation of the methylated polysaccharide, and from NMR spectrosco pic analysis of the lithium-degraded polysaccharide and of the oligosa ccharide-alditol derived from the repeating unit oligosaccharide obtai ned from a bacteriophage degradation. The polysaccharide was shown to have the repeating unit: [GRAPHICS].