Skip to main content
Log in

Different polysaccharides in the external layers (capsule and slime) of the cell envelope of Rhodopseudomonas capsulata Sp11

  • Original Papers
  • Published:
Archives of Microbiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Two different acidic polysaccharides (I and II) were detected in the external cell envelope layers (slime and capsule) of Rhodopseudomonas capsulata Sp11. Polysaccharide I contains rhamnose, fucose, glucosamine and an unknown acidic sugar, it represents the slime material of the strain. Polysaccharide II contains rhamnose, galactose, 3-amino-3,6-dideoxygalactose, an unknown amino sugar and galacturonic acid, it represents very likely the capsule of R. capsulata Sp11.

Polysaccharide I has a serological specificity different from that of polysaccharide II as shown by immunoprecipitation using antisera against living cells. Polysaccharide II, but not polysaccharide I, reacts in antiserum against heattreated cells (100°C, 2.5 h). Whole cells are agglutinated in the antisera against living but not in those against heattreated cells.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Costerton JW, Irwin RT, Cheng KJ (1981) The bacterial glycocalyx in nature and disease. Annu Rev Microbiol 35:299–324

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixon JS, Lipkin D (1954) Spectrophotometric determination of vicinal glycols application to the determination of ribofuranosides. Anal Chem 26:1092–1093

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirschfeld J (1960) Immunoelectrophoretic procedure and application to the study of group-specific variations in sera. Science tools, vol 7. Stockholm: LKB 1960, pp 18–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Jann K, Westphal O (1975) Microbial polysaccharides. In: Sela M (ed) The antigens, vol III. Academic Press, New York, pp 1–125

    Google Scholar 

  • Markovitz A (1977) Genetics and regulation of bacterial capsular polysaccharide. Biosynthesis and radiation sensitivity. In: Sutherland J (ed) Surface carbohydrates of the prokaryotic cell. Academic Press, New York, pp 415–462

    Google Scholar 

  • Oelze J, Golecki JR, Kleinig H, Weckesser J (1975) Characterization of two cell envelope fractions from chemotrophically grown Rhodospirillum rubrum. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, J Microbiol Serol 41:273–286

    Google Scholar 

  • Omar AS, Flammann HT, Golecki JR, Weckesser J (1983a) Detection of capsule and slime polysaccharide layers in two strains of Rhodopseudomonas capsulata. Arch Microbiol 134: 114–117

    Google Scholar 

  • Omar AS, Flammann HT, Borowiak D, Weckesser J (1983b) Lipopolysaccharides of two strains of the phototrophic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas capsulata. Arch Microbiol 134: 212–216

    Google Scholar 

  • Ørskov I, Ørskov F, Jann B, Jann K (1977) Serology, chemistry, and genetics of O and K antigens of Escherichia coli. Bacteriol Rev 41:667–710

    Google Scholar 

  • Ouchterlony O (1965) Gel-diffusion techniques. Immunchemie 15. Coll., Mosbach. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Scheidegger JJ (1955) Une microméthode de l'immunoélectrophorèse. Int Arch Allergy 7:103–110

    Google Scholar 

  • Schrader M, Drews G, Weckesser J, Mayer H (1982) Polysaccharide containing 6-O-methyl-d-mannose in Chlorogloeopsis PCC 6912. J Gen Microbiol 128:273–277

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutherland JW (1977) Surface carbohydrates of the prokaryotic cell. In: Sutherland IW (ed) Bacterial exopolysaccharides. Their nature and production. Academic Press, New York, pp 27–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Westphal O, Jann K (1965) Bacterial lipopolysaccharides. Extraction with phenol-water and further applications of the procedure. Methods in Carbohydr Chem 5:83–91

    Google Scholar 

  • Westphal O, Lüderitz O, Bister F (1952) Über die Extraktion von Bakterien mit Phenol/Wasser. Z Naturforsch 7b:148–155

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Omar, A.S., Weckesser, J. & Mayer, H. Different polysaccharides in the external layers (capsule and slime) of the cell envelope of Rhodopseudomonas capsulata Sp11. Arch. Microbiol. 136, 291–296 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00425219

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00425219

Key words

Navigation