Structural analysis of the core region of the lipopolysaccharides from eight serotypes of Klebsiella pneumoniae.

The core regions of the lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from Klebsiella pneumoniae serotypes O1, O2a, O2a,c, O3, O4, O5, O8, and O12 were analysed using NMR spectroscopy, ESI-MS spectroscopy, and chemical methods. All the LPSs had similar core structures, as shown below, differing only in the number and position of beta-D-galacturonic acid substituents: [carbohydrate structure: see text] where P is H or alpha-Hep, J, K is H or beta-GalA. LPS from all serotypes contained varying proportions of structures having additional or missing phosphate substituents. The core from serotype O1 contained a minor amount of a previously described variant with alpha-DD-Hep-(1-->2)-alpha-DD-Hep-(1-->6)-alpha-GlcN-(1--> replacing the alpha-Hep-(1-->4)-alpha-Kdo-(2-->6)-alpha-GlcN-(1--> component.