Immunochemical analysis of an unusual cell wall polysaccharide from animal coagulase-positive staphylococci. 2. Probable structure based on chemical and serological studies.

The teichoic acid of polysaccharide P (poly P) contains glycerol, glucose and phosphate. Hydrofluoric acid and alkali hydrolysates contain glycerol 1-phosphate, glycerol diphosphate, and glucose 1-phosphate, but no glucosyl-glycerol fragments. Glucose and the serological activity of poly P were destroyed by periodate oxidation. Interaction with concanavalin A showed that the glucose is in alpha-configuration and that the hydroxyl groups at positions 3, 4 and 6 are unsubstituted. Most probably, the poly P teichoic acid is a polymer containing a repeating unit in which glycerol 1-phosphate is attached to the 2-position on alpha-D-glucose 1-phosphate.