Isolation and characterization of a novel 20-kDa sulfated polysaccharide from the extracellular slime layer of Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Slime-producing coagulase-negative staphylococci have emerged as important pathogens especially in immunocompromised hosts and patients with implanted devices. Although the extracellular slime layer is considered an important virulence factor, the chemical composition of the slime polysaccharide(s) remains unknown. The crude slime product derived from two reference Staphylococcus epidermidis strains (ATCC 35983 and 35984) and two clinical isolates was found to contain protein (11-20.5%), hexosamines (8-19%), neutral sugars (12.2-14%), phosphates (4-9.5%), uronic acids (1-13%), and small amounts of sulfates (0.5-3%). Preparative anion-exchange chromatography separated a main carbohydrate component which was isolated by combined chromatographies on DEAE-Sephacel and Sepharose CL-6B. HPLC and electrophoreses on polyacrylamide gel and cellulose acetate membrane revealed the presence of one species of low-sulfated polysaccharide with a relative molecular mass of 20-kDa. Chemical analyses of the polysaccharide showed that it is rich in glucosamine (46%) and neutral sugars (30-34%) with small amounts of sulfates (5.7-6.5%) and glucuronic acid (2.9-3.4%). Ten percent of the glucosamine is sulfated at the amino group. The neutral monosaccharides present are glucose, fucose, and xylose with glucose as the predominant one. It is estimated that the polysaccharide consists of 61-65 molecules of glucosamine (6-7 of which are N-sulfated), 30-35 neutral monosaccharides, 3-4 molecules of glucuronic acid, and 1-3 of fucose and xylose. Isolation and characterization of such a polysaccharide from the extracellular slime layer of S. epidermidis has not been previously reported. Its role to pathogenicity remains to be elucidated.