Chemical composition and ultrastructure of cellular and extracellular Moraxella glucidolytica lipopolysaccharides.

A cellular (LPS I) and extracellular (LPS II) lipopolysaccharide were isolated from Moraxella glucidolytica cells grown on ethanol and from the culture fluid, respectively. Both LPS were toxic when injected to mice and chick embryos. These LPS contained glucose, galactose, glucosamine, galactosamine, 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate and lipids. By permethylation studies, glucose was found to be linked (1 lead to 6) and (1 lead to 3) in LPS I and only (1 lead to 6) in LPS II. Galactose was the terminal non-reducing sugar. Branching occurred at positions 3 and 4 of galactose residues. LPS I was rich in alpha- and beta-hydroxylauric and alpha-hydroxymyristic acids and LPS I was detoxified by mild acid and alkaline treatments. It was also dissociated by sodium deoxycholate and chromatographed on Sephadex G-75. The main fraction was reassociated by removing the surfactant by dialysis. The morphology of LPS I and LPS II was examined by electron microscopy. LPS I (original and reassociated fractions) consisted exclusively of ribbons while LPS II contained ribbons and vesicles.