Pneumococcal C-substance, a ribitol teichoic acid containing choline phosphate

Abstract

1. Pneumococcal C-substance was isolated from the non-capsulated Pneumococcus 1–192R, A.T.C.C. 12213, by extraction with trichloroacetic acid solution followed by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose (HCO3− form). 2. The polymer contains 7·0% of phosphorus and 6·0% of nitrogen and is composed of phosphate, N-acetyl-d-galactosamine, d-glucose, N-acetyldiaminotrideoxyhexose, ribitol and choline in the molecular proportions 2:1:1:1:1:1. 3. After acid hydrolysis, d-galactosamine hydrochloride and galactosamine 6-phosphate were isolated in crystalline form and crystalline derivatives of d-glucose and anhydroribitol were obtained. A product of partial acid hydrolysis was provisionally characterized as 6′-O-phosphoryl-[O-β-d-galactosaminyl-(1′→6)-d-glucose]. 4. C-substance contains free amino groups accessible to attack by 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene and nitrous acid. 5. Choline phosphate and ribitol phosphate are units in the polymer. 6. Treatment with hot alkali gave a fragment comprising phosphate, d-galactosamine, d-glucose, diaminotrideoxyhexose and ribitol in the molecular proportions 2:1:1:1:1. 7. After selective N-acetylation, the fragment contained one of its phosphate groups as a phosphomonoester and one as a phosphodiester, shown by potentiometric titration and by treatment with a phosphomonoesterase. 8. C-substance from seven other strains of Pneumococcus possesses a structure common to that described for the strain 1–192R. 9. Capsular materials from 26 different strains of Pneumococcus were analysed for suspected contamination by C-substance. In 19 cases the presence of C-substance with the normal structure was demonstrated, and in the remaining seven cases the contaminating C-substance was probably similarly constituted. 10. F-substance was isolated and the associated fatty acid material analysed.