Full NMR assignment and revised structure for the capsular polysaccharide from Streptococcus pneumoniae type 15B
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Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Capsular Serotyping of Streptococcus pneumoniae Using the Quellung Reaction
Published on: February 24, 2014
Christopher Jones1, Xavier Lemercinier
1Laboratory for Molecular Structure, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Herts EN6 3QG, UK. cjones@nibsc.ac.uk
Abstract:
The capsular polysaccharide from Streptococcus pneumoniae Type 15B is a component of the 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine against pneumococcal disease. We report full NMR assignments for the native and de-O-acetylated polysaccharide, and confirm that the phosphorylated substituent is glycerol-2-phosphate rather than phosphocholine, located on O-3 of the side chain beta-Galp residue. The polysaccharide is O-acetylated on the terminal alpha-Gal residue, distributed between O-2, O-3, O-4 and O-6 in a ratio of 6:12:12:55, with approximately 15% of the repeat units not O-acetylated.
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