STRUCTURAL AND SEROLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE O-ANTIGENIC POLYSACCHARIDE OF THE LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE FROM ACINETOBACTER-JUNII-STRAIN-65

A polysaccharide containing rhamnose (Rha) and Gal was isolated by ace tic acid hydrolysis, followed by gel-permeation chromatography, from t he water-soluble lipopolysaccharide (phenol/water extracted) from Acin etobacter junii strain 65. The polysaccharide was characterised by mea ns of monosaccharide analyses, Smith degradation, and NMR studies, and was shown to have a linear pentasaccharide repeating unit, as depicte d below. This structure was specifically recognised in western blots a nd enzyme immuno-assays by polyclonal rabbit L-Rhap-(1-->3)-a-L-Rhap-( 1-->3)-beta-D-Galp-(1-->.