Structural studies of the polysaccharide part of the cell wall lipopolysaccharide from Bacteroides fragilis NCTC 9343.

The structure of the polysaccharide part of the lipopolysaccharide from Bacteroides fragilis NCTC 9343 has been determined using sugar and methylation analysis as the principal tools. Phenol--water extraction followed by a phenol--chloroform--light petroleum extraction yielded a lipopolysaccharide suitable for structural analysis. Analysis of sugars using alditol acetates showed that the polysaccharide contained L-rhamnose, D-galactose and D-glucose in the approximate molar ratios of 1:5:1. After weak acid hydrolysis, two polysaccharide fractions were isolated by gel permeation chromatography: PSI and PSII with the sugar molar ratios 1:5:1 and 1:2:1 respectively. Chromium trioxide oxidation revealed that all galactosyl residues have the beta configuration, and that the rhamnosyl and glucosyl residues have the alpha configuration. From methylation analysis of lipopolysaccharide and the PS I and PS II fractions the following structures could be deduced.