Immunochemical analysis of an unusual cell wall polysaccharide from animal coagulase-positive staphylococci. 1. Fragments obtained after hydrolysis in hydrofluoric acid and alkali.

Polysaccharide P (poly P) of canine coagulase-positive staphylococci contains glycerol, glucose, glucosamine, muramic acid, phosphate, and the usual peptidoglycan amino acids, but does not cross-react serologically with standard teichoic acids. Products from hydrolyses in hydrofluoric acid and alkali contained phosphates of glycerol and glucose as well as combinations of these, but neither glucosyl-glycerol units nor glucosamine-phosphates were observed. The teichoic acid of poly P is probably a polymer of a repeating unit consisting of alternating glycerol, phosphate and glucose.