Structural studies of O-specific polysaccharide chains of the lipopolysaccharide from Yersinia enterocolitica serovar O:10

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was isolated from Yersinia enterocolitica serovars O:10 and O:10 KL and the structural pattern of O-specific sugar chains elucidated. The rhamnan and l-xylulose (l-threo-pent-2-ulose) as constituents of the O-specific polysaccharide were obtained by autohydrolysis of the LPS. The rhamnan was shown to be a linear, α-(1 → 3)-linked polysaccharide in the d configuration. l-Xylulose was purified using paper chromatography on a preparative scale and its structure was confirmed by 13C NMR spectroscopy. Using sugar and methylation analysis and 13C NMR spectroscopy of the LPS and the rhamnan, the structural features of the disaccharide repeating unit of the Y. enterocolitica O:10 O-specific polysaccharide were elucidated as: →3)-α-dp-(1→