Structural and Serological Characterisation of Two O‐Specific Polysaccharides of Acinetobacter

Abstract

Extraction of dry bacteria of Acinetobacter strain 34 (DNA group 2) or Acinetobucter strain 108 (DNA group 13) by phenol/water yielded a polymer that was identified by means of serological studies and fatty acid analysis as S‐form lipopolysaccharide. Degradation of the lipopolysaccharides of strains 34 and 108 in 1% acetic acid and 5% acetic acid, respectively, and gel‐permeation chromatography gave the respective O‐antigenic polysaccharides, the structures of which were determined, by compositional analysis and NMR spectroscopy of the polysaccharide, as for strain 34, and for strain 108, where d‐FUCp 3NBUOH represents 3‐[(R)‐3‐hydroxybutyramido]‐3,6‐dideoxy‐d‐galactose and d‐Galp ANAc represents 2‐acetamido‐2‐deoxy‐D ‐galacturonic acid. Both structures were specifically recognised in Western blots by polyclonal rabbit antisera and there was no cross‐reaction between these two structures.