Structural Analysis of the Capsular Polysaccharide from Acinetobacter lwoffii F78

The capsular polysaccharide from Acinetobacter lwoffii F78 was isolated and purified, and its structure was elucidated by chemical analyses, NMR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. The presence of a capsule on this bacterium was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy experiments, and the utilization of the antilipid A monoclonal antibody proved the nonendotoxin origin of the isolated material. The structure represents a novel nonbranched aminopolysaccharide with high heterogeneity of amino groups substituents: →3)‐α‐ L ‐FucNAc‐(1→3)‐β‐ D ‐QuiNR 1 4NR 2 ‐(1→4)‐β‐ L ‐GlcNR 3 3NR 4 A‐(1→, where R 1 = 3‐hydroxybutyric acid (3‐HBA) or N ‐acetylated alanine (AlaNAc), R 2 = AlaNAc or 3‐HBA, R 3 = acetyl or 3‐HBA, and R 4 = 3‐HBA or acetyl.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)