The Structure of the O-Specific Polysaccharide of the Lipopolysaccharide from Acinetobacter Strain 44 (DNA Group 3)

Extraction of dry bacteria of Acinetobacter strain 44 (DNA group 3) by phenol/water gave a polymer that was identified by means of serological studies as S-form lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Mild acetic acid hydrolysis degraded the O-specific polysaccharide, thus, its structure was investigated by compositional analyses andNMRspectroscopy after de-O-acylation and Smith degradation of the LPS. The structure of the O-specific polysaccharides was 3)-alfa-L-Rhap-(1_2)-alfa-L-Rhap-(1--3)-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1--3)-alfa-L-Rhap-(1-- 2 _ 1 alfa-L-Rhap-(1--4)-beta-D-GlcpA-(1--2)-alfa-L-Rhap After immunization of BALB/c mice with Acinetobacter strain 44, monoclonal antibody S48-26 (IgG3 isotype) was obtained which reacted in Western blot with this LPS and characterized it as S-form.