Structural elucidation of the O-specific polysaccharide of the phenol-phase soluble lipopolysaccharide of Vibrio anguillarum

Abstract

The structure of the O-specific polysaccharide of the phenol-soluble cellular lipopolysaccharide of Vibrio anguillarum has been investigated. The studies involved the use of methylation analysis, partial hydrolysis with 48% hydrogen fluoride, Smith degradation, oxidation with chromium trioxide, and comprehensive proton and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance studies, in which one- and two-dimensional experiments were carried out. As a result of these studies it is proposed that the O-specific polysaccharide of Vibrio anguillarum is composed of a regular heteropolymer, i.e., a main chain of (1→4)-linked 3-acetamido-3,6-dideoxy-β-L-glucose residues alternately substituted through O-2 with side chain residues of 2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-α-D-glucose, which seem to be substituted through either O-3 or O-4 with propionyl groups (R), as in the following structure.[Formula: see text]