STUDIES ON PATHOGENIC B. COLI FROM BOVINE SOURCES : IV. A BIOCHEMICAL STUDY OF THE CAPSULAR SUBSTANCE

1. The soluble specific substance obtained from a capsulated strain of B. coli is not identical with any specific substance heretofore described. It is a carbohydrate, composed of 80 per cent of hexose, probably partly of dextro- and partly of levorotatory sugar, since the rotation of the hydrolysate is low. Glucuronic acid is probably present in the molecule. 2. Crude "residue" or specific substance obtained from the uncapsulated mutant was about 100 times less active with homologous serum than similar material from the capsulated strain. This supports the view that capsular substance and soluble specific substance are the same. In cases where there is a well marked capsule, the specific substance is probably produced in greater amount and located peripherally. 3. Capsular substance is probably significant for virulence when functioning as a morphological capsule. It is present in filtrates of young culture only in very small amounts.