Cell-wall lipopolysaccharide of the urinary-tract-infective Escherichia coli 04:K12:H-. Structure of the polysaccharide chain.

The O-specific polysaccharide moiety (04 polysaccharide) of the 04 antigen (lipopolysaccharide) from Escherichia coli 04:K12:H- was isolated in pure form by degradation of the lipopolysaccharide and chromatography on Sephadex G-50. The primary structure of the 04 polysaccharide was elucidated by composition, Smith degradation, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, methylation and oligosaccharide analysis. Oligosaccharides were obtained by deaminating fragmentation of partially and completely de-N-acetylated polysaccharides. The polysaccharide consists of repeating units of the pentasaccharide (formula; see text) which are joined in the polymer through alpha-1, 4-linkages. The 04 polysaccharide has a mean molecular mass of 13800 Da and consists of the core oligosaccharide and about 14 pentasaccharide repeating units.