[Antigenic polysaccharides of bacteria of the genus Shigella. The structure of the polysaccharide chain of Shigella boydii type 14].

A specific acidic polysaccharide has been isolated from the Shigella boydii type 14 antigenic lipopolysaccharide after mild hydrolysis followed by chromatography on Sephadex G-50. The polysaccharide consists of the D-glucuronic acid, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose and D-galactose residues in the ratio 1:1:3. From the results of methylation analysis and partial acid hydrolysis, the structure of the repeating unit of the specific polysaccharide was deduced as follows: (-6DGalp alpha 1-4DGlcAp beta 1-6DGalp beta 1-4DGalp beta 1-4DGlcNAcp beta 1-)n. The 13C NMR spectra of native and carboxyl-reduced polysaccharides, as well as of oligosaccharides produced by partial acid hydrolysis fully confirmed the proposed structure. The approach was suggested to determine the type of substitution of uronic acid moieties in polysaccharide chain by use of chromato-mass-spectrometry of acetylated methyl esters of partially methylated aldonic acids. Serological characteristics of Sh. boydii LPS type 14 and its modified derivatives are discussed.