STRUCTURE OF THE O-SPECIFIC POLYSACCHARID E OF YERSINIA-ROHDEI

An O-specific polysaccharide composed of L-rhamnose was obtained on mi ld acid degradation of the Yersinia rohdei lipopolysaccharide. On the basis of methylation studies and C-13 NMR data, the O-specific polysac charide is shown to be a linear L-rhamnan built up of trisaccharide re peating units of the following structure: --> 3)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1 --> 3 )-alpha-L-Rhap-(1 --> 3)-beta-L-Rhap-(1 --> The structure was confirme d by calculations with the use of the known glycosydation effect on C- 13 chemical shifts.