[Characteristics of rhamnan isolated from preparations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa lipopolysaccharides].

A polysaccharide isolated from the degraded lipopolysaccharides of P. aeruginosa serogroup O7 (Lányi--Bergan classification) was characterized by liquid chromatography, acid hydrolysis, and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. It has molecular mass 15,000 and represents mainly a rhamnan of the structure----2)-alpha-D-Rha-(1----3)-alpha-D-Rha-(1----3)-alpha-D-Rha-(1 ----, identical to the structure of O-specific polysaccharides of Pseudomonas aeruginosa pvs morsprunorum and cerasi. Some minor constituents, such as glucose, mannose, an unknown sugar, and phosphate, are found in the polysaccharide preparation as well. Distribution of the rhamnan in some other P. aeruginosa serogroups is discussed and its identity to the common polysaccharide antigen of P. aeruginosa is suggested.