STRUCTURAL DETERMINATION OF THE CAPSULAR POLYSACCHARIDE PRODUCED BY KLEBSIELLA-PNEUMONIAE SEROTYPE-K-40 - NMR-STUDIES OF THE OLIGOSACCHARIDE OBTAINED UPON DEPOLYMERIZATION OF THE POLYSACCHARIDE WITH A BACTERIOPHAGE-ASSOCIATED ENDOGLYCANASE

The Klebsiella pneumoniae K40 capsular polysaccharide has been isolated and investigated by use of methylation analysis, specific degradations and NMR spectroscopy. The polysaccharide was depolymerised by a bacteriophage-associated endogalactosidase, and the resulting oligosaccharide was characterised by one-dimensional and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy and direct chemical ionisation MS. The repeating unit of the K40 capsular polysaccharide was shown to be a linear hexasaccharide with the composition -->3)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1-->2)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1-->4)-alpha-D-GlcpA-(1--> -->2)-alpha-D-Manp-(1-->2)-alpha-D-Manp-(1-->3)-alpha-D-Galp-(1--> (Rha, rhamnose).