Structure of O-specific polysaccharide from Pseudoalteromonas nigrifaciens strain KMM 161.

On mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide of the marine microorganism Pseudoalteromonas nigrifaciens KMM 161 an O-specific polysaccharide containing D-galactose, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose, 3,6-dideoxy-3-(4-hydroxybutyramido)-D-galactose, and 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-L-guluronic acid residues was obtained. From the results of Smith degradation, O-deacetylation of the polysaccharide, and NMR spectroscopy the following structure of the tetrasaccharide repeating unit of the O-specific polysaccharide was established [see reaction]. It should be noted that the same structure occurs in the antigenic polysaccharide of Pseudoalteromonas nigrifaciens KMM 158 described earlier as Alteromonas macleodii 2MM6.