Characterization of a lipopolysaccharide encoded by a recombinant Shigella sonnei plasmid in Escherichia coli K-12.

The genetic information to synthesize the S-specific region of Shigella sonnei phase I lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is localized on a 180 kb plasmid which is lost quite readily. A recombinant plasmid derivative remaining stable in the bacteria was shown to determine the S-specific region of the LPS which is completely identical with that of a S. sonnei phase I strain following transfer in Escherichia coli K-12. However, the length control in polysaccharide biosynthesis is lost at least partially.