Structural heterogeneity of the sialic-acid-containing oligosaccharides from the lipopolysaccharide of Hafnia alvei strain 2 as detected by FABMS studies

The structure of four oligosaccharide fractions from the Hafnia alvei strai n 2 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) have been assigned by FARMS. This approach cor roborates data previously established by NMR spectroscopy for the major oli gosaccharides in these fractions [A. Gamian, E. Romanowska, U. Dabrowski, J . Dabrowski, Biochemistry 30 (1991) 5032-5038; E. Katzenellenbogen, A. Gami an, E. Romanowska, U. Dabrowski, J. Dabrowski, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commu n. 194 (1993) 1058-1064; N. Ravenscroft, A. Gamian, E. Romanowska, Pur. J. Biochem. 227 (1995) 889-896]. In addition, the MS/MS with B/E linked scan t echnique allowed the detection of an additional oligosaccharide with the st ructure: [GRAPHICS] lacking the branched O-6 linked glucopyranose residue at the 3-linked Gal u nit, which indicates a structural heterogeneity for the major oligosacchari de fraction. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.