Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic study of teichuronic acid from Micrococcus luteus cell walls. Comparison of the polysaccharide isolated from cells with that synthesized in vitro.

Teichuronic acid isolated from the cell walls of Micrococcus luteus has been examined by natural-abundance (13)C NMR spectroscopy. Proton-decoupled and proton-coupled spectra were obtained for native teichuronic acid and also after the teichuronic acid had been oxidized with periodate and reduced with borohydride. The spectra are consistent with the structure [ManNAcUAp-( beta -1,6)-G1cp-( alpha -1,4)]n. Teichuronic acid synthesized in vitro from suitable substrates by the particulate enzyme fraction obtained from M. luteus yielded a (13)C NMR spectrum which is indistinguishable from that of the native teichuronic acid, indicating a structural identity of the teichuronic acid synthesized in vitro with that isolated from cell walls.