The structure of the O-antigen polysaccharide from Escherichia coli O159 has been determined using primarily NMR spectroscopy of the 13C-enriched polysaccharide. The sequence of the sugar residues could be determined by heteronuclear multiple bond connectivity NMR experiments. The polysaccharide is composed of a pentasaccharide repeating unit with the following structure: [see structure in text]. Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry was performed on intact lipopolysaccharide and from the resulting molecular mass the O-antigen part was estimated to contain approximately 23 repeating units. Cross-reactivity of this O-antigen to that of Shigella dysenteriae type 4 was confirmed using enzyme-linked immunoabsorbant assay.
structural, polysaccharide, O-antigen, O antigen, Escherichia, Escherichia coli, enterotoxigenic, type, structural studies, Shigella, Shigella dysenteriae
Journal NLM ID: 0107600Publisher: Oxford, UK: Blackwell Science Ltd. on behalf of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies
Correspondence: G. Widmalm
Institutions: Department of Organic Chemistry, Arrhenius Laboratory, Stockholm University, Sweden, Karolinska Institute, Department of Immunology, Microbiology, Pathology and Infectious Diseases, Division of Clinical Bacteriology, Huddinge University Hospital, Sweden
Methods: NMR-2D, methylation, NMR, sugar analysis, MALDI-MS, determination of absolute configuration
Found