Structural investigation of the lipopolysaccharide from Acinetobacter haemolyticus strain NCTC 10305 (ATCC 17906, DNA group 4).

The structure of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Acinetobacter haemolyticus strain NCTC 10305 (DNA group 4) was elucidated by means of analytical chemistry, NMR spectroscopy and fast-atom-bombardment mass spectrometry. Several oligosaccharides were obtained after deacylation or successive de-O-acylation, dephosphorylation, reduction, and de-N-acylation of LPS. In the major fraction of the LPS, the core is attached to the lipid A through D-glycero-D-talo-2-octulopyranosonic acid (Ko), whereas in a minor fraction (<20%) Ko is replaced by 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulopyranosonic acid (Kdo). The structures of the phosphorylated carbohydrate backbones of these LPS fractions are [structure: see text] with Dha = 3-deoxy-D-lyxo-2-heptulosaric acid, Sug = sugar and is Ko in a major fraction and Kdo in a minor fraction. All sugar residues have the D-configuration and are present in the pyranose form. Mass spectrometry of de-O-acylated LPS revealed the presence of an additional hexose residue in minor amounts, the position and nature of which could not be identified.