Abstract
Lipopolysaccharides were found in four strains of Synechocystis. Depending on the strain, they were extracted into either the water or into the phenol phase of phenol-water extracts.
The lipopolysaccharides of all four strains contain fucose, mannose, galactose, glucose and glucosamine. l-Glycero-d-mannoheptose and 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate are lacking. The strain-specific sugars are dominated by O-methyl sugars in three of the four strains: Synechocystis PCC 6803 contains 2,3-di-O-methyl-fucose, 2-O-methyl-fucose and 2-O-methylxylose. In Synechocystis PCC 6807 a 6-O-methylheptose and 2-O-methyl-mannose, in Synechocystis PCC 6308 2-O-methyl-mannose was identified.
Lipid A, although difficult to be split off from the polysaccharide moiety, is indicated in all four strains by the presence of β-hydroxypalmitic and β-hydroxymyristic acids and of glucosamine. In addition, a branched β-hydroxypentadecanoic acid (anteiso) was found. The phosphorus content of the four lipopolysaccharides amounts to less than 0.3% of dry weight.
The lipopolysaccharides from Synechocystis show O-specific activity. Their reactivity in homologous O-antisera, however, is low when tested by passive hemagglutination. In immunoelectrophoresis, no migration of lipopolysaccharide was observed.
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Dedicated to Professor Otto Kandler on occasion of his 69th birthday
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Schmidt, W., Drews, G., Weckesser, J. et al. Lipopolysaccharides in four strains of the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis . Arch. Microbiol. 127, 217–222 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00427196
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00427196