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Lipopolysaccharides of Salmonella T Mutants

^a Max-Planck Institut für Immunbiologie, Freiburg, Germany

ABSTRACT

The composition of lipopolysaccharides derived from various Salmonella T forms was studied. All T1-form lipopolysaccharides examined contained 14 to 22% each of both D-galactose and pentose in addition to 4 to 9% each of ketodeoxyoctonic acid, heptose, D-glucosamine, and D-glucose. The pentose was identified as D-ribose. The T2-form lipopolysaccharide examined did not contain a significant amount of pentose, nor more than the usual amounts of D-galactose. Periodate oxidation of T1 (lipo) polysaccharides followed by NaBH₄ reduction revealed that ribose was almost quantitatively protected, galactose was destroyed, and threitol and mannose were newly formed. The latter two products probably originated from 4-linked galactose and heptose, respectively. Ribose and galactose were found in specific precipitates of T1 lipopolysaccharide with anti-T1 antiserum but were not found in specific precipitates of alkali-treated T1 lipopolysaccharide and of Freeman degraded polysaccharide with anti-T1 serum Ribose and galactose are present in these degraded preparations in the form of nondialyzable polymers. The T1-form mutant lipopolysaccharides lacked the O-specific sugars constituting the side-chains in the wild-type antigens. They did not produce the soluble O-specific haptenic polysaccharide known to be accumulated in RI strains. With these properties, T1 lipopolysaccharides resemble RII lipopolysaccharides. Like RII degraded polysaccharides, T1-degraded polysaccharides also contained glucosamine. Furthermore, strong cross-reactions were found to exist between T1 and RII lipopolysaccharides in both hemagglutination inhibition assays and in precipitation tests. It is proposed that T1 lipopolysaccharides represent RII lipopolysaccharides to which polymers consisting of ribose and galactose are attached.

¹ Max Planck Society Fellow on sabbatical leave from the Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C., January to July, 1965.

² Max Planck Society Fellow, on leave from Institut de Chimie et Institut d'Hygiène et de Bacteriologie de la Faculté de Medecine, Strasbourg, France.