Isolation and characterization of an O-methylglucose-containing lipopolysaccharide produced by Nocardia otitidis-caviarum.

The low-Mr lipopolysaccharide produced by Nocardia otitidis-cavirum is composed of 6-O-methyl-D-glucose (11 mol), D-glucose (8 mol) and 3-O-methyl-D-glucose (1 mol). Glyceric acid was also found as a constituent. Methylation and periodate oxidation analyses suggested that the backbone was formed by (1----4)-linked glucose and O-methylglucose residues. Glucose (1 mol) and 6-O-methylglucose (1 mol) served as branching points. Acetic acid was the major acyl substituent esterifying glucose residues. The lipopolysaccharide was isolated from the cytoplasmic fraction. Several other Nocardia strains were examined; all possessed the same lipopolysaccharide in their extracts.