[Study of the lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli K12 CR34]

The structure of the lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli K12, strain CR34 has been investigated. The lipopolysaccharide contains D-galactose, D-glucose, D-glucosamine, L-glycero D-mannoheptose, 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate and lipid A. The core region does not contain D-glucosamine but contains galactose, glucose, and heptose in the molar ratios 1:3:6. Methylations were performed on the lipopolysaccharide and on the degraded polysaccharide obtained after acetic acid hydrolysis of the lipopolysaccharide. It was found that galactose is in terminal position partly in the form of galactopyranose, partly in the form of galactofuranose. A part of the heptose was found as unsubstituted heptofuranose. A mole of glucose was 1 leads to 2 linked and another mole of glucose was 1 leads to 6 linked. Periodate oxidation of the lipopolysaccharide followed by borohydride reduction eliminates galactose and only a part of glucose and of heptose. A mole of heptose gave mannose and thus it is unsubstituted in C6 and C7. One mole of glucose and one mole of heptose were not degraded by periodate oxidation.