Isolation and characterization of a succinylated polysaccharide from the cell wall of Micrococcus agilis

A polysaccharide consisting of rhamnose, galactose, glucosamine and ester-linked succinic acid was extracted from the isolated cell walls of Micrococcus agilis by the hot water-phenol and 5% trichloroacetic acid (TCA) extraction methods. The hot water-phenol extractable polysaccharide accounted for 30% of the weight of the wall, with 23% by the TCA method. Phosphorus contents were less than 0.01% of the polysaccharide. Succinyl residues released by alkali treatment (0.1 N NaOH, 30 min, 37 degrees C) were identified by gas-liquid chromatography, and accounted for 6.3% and 5.1% of the polysaccharide purified from the hot water-phenol and TCA extracts, respectively. The polysaccharide was not bound when chromatography on Concanavalin A-Sepharose 4B (Con A/Sepharose 4B) columns was performed and it could thus be separated from any residual membrane lipomannan. The purified polysaccharide behaved as a negatively-charged polymer on electrophoresis in 1% agarose (at pH 8.6). A strong cross-reaction, unaffected by removal of the succinyl groups, was observed with type XXIII pneumococcal polysaccharide antiserum indicating the presence of L-rhamnose, linked through non-reducing, lateral end groups.