Rapid small-scale preparation method of cell surface polysaccharides.

A rapid small-scale method of extraction of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and capsular polysaccharides was developed for the purpose of identification of chemotypes of LPS and serotypes of capsular antigens. Cell surface polysaccharides were prepared within less than 2 hr from 1.5 ml of broth or suspension of colonies cultured overnight. The preparations were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for LPS, and by double diffusion gel precipitation (Ouchterlony) test and blotting to nitrocellulose membrane for capsular polysaccharide. The analyses with the preparations obtained by the method could provide adequate results capable of identifying chemotypes of LPS and serotypes of capsular antigens.