Structure identification of the complex-type,asparagine-linked sugar chains of β-d-galactosyl-transferase purified from human milk

The asparagine-linked sugar chains of human milk galactosyltansferase were quantitatively released as oligosaccharides from the polypeptide backbone by hydrazinolysis. They were converted into radioactive oligosaccharides by sodium borotritiate reduction after N-acetylation, and fractionated by paper electrophoresis and by Bio-Gel P-4 column chromatography after sialidase treatment. Structural studies of each oligosaccharides by sequential exoglycosidase digestion and methylation analysis indicated that the galactosyltransferase contains bi, tri-, and probably tetra-antennary, complex-type oligosaccharides having α-d-Manp-(1→3)-[α-d-Manp-(1→6)]-β-d-Manp-(1→4)-β-d-GlcpNAc-(1→4)-α-d-[Fucp-(1→6)]-d- GlcNAc as their common core. Variation is produced by the different locations and numbers of the five different outer chains: β-d-Galp-(1→4)-d-GlcNAc, α-l-Fucp-(1→3)-[β-d-Galp-(1→4)]-d-GlcNAc, α-NeuAc-(2→6)-β-d-Galp-(1→4)-d-GlcNAc, α-l-Fucp-(1→3)-[β-d-Galp-(1→4)]-β-d-GlcpNAc-(1→3)-β-d-Galp-(1→4)-[α-l-Fucp-(1→3)]-d- GlcNAc, and α-NeuAc-(2→6)-β-d-Galp-(1→4)-β-d-GlcpNAc-(1→3)-β-d-Galp-(1→4)-[α-l-Fucp-(1→3)-β-d-GlcNAc.     

Enzymatic synthesis of Gb3 and iGb3 ceramides

Gb3 and iGb3 are physiologically important trihexosylceramides with a terminal α-d-Galp-(1→4)-β-d-Galp- and α-d-Galp-(1→3)-β-d-Galp sequence, respectively. In particular iGb3 is attracting considerable attention as it is believed to serve as a ligand for natural killer T cells. Whether or not iGb3 is present in humans and which enzyme might be responsible for its synthesis is at present a matter of lively debate. In the current investigation we evaluated human blood group B galactosyltransferase (GTB) for its ability to catalyze the formation of iGb3 from lactosylceramide and UDP-Galp. GTB is a retaining glycosyltransferase that in vivo catalyzes the transfer of galactose from UDP-Galp donors to OH-3 of Galp on the H-antigen (α-l-Fucp-(1→2)-β-d-Galp) acceptor forming the blood group B antigen. GTB tolerates modifications in donor and acceptor substrates and its ability to accept lactosides as acceptors makes it a possible candidate for iGb3 production in humans. For comparison iGb3 and Gb3 were also synthesized from the same acceptor using an α-(1→3)- and α-(1→4)-specific galactosyltransferase, respectively. All the enzymes tested catalyzed the desired reactions. Product characterization by NMR analysis clearly differentiated between the α-Galp-(1→3)-Galp and α-Galp-(1→4)-Galp product, with the GTB product being identical to that of the α-(1→3)-GalT-catalyzed reaction. The rate of transfer by GTB however was very low, only 0.001% of the rate obtained with a good substrate, H antigen disaccharide (octyl α-l-Fucp-(1→2)-β-d-Galp). This is too low to account for the possible formation of the iGb3 structure in humans in vivo.     

Glucosylation of raffinose via alternansucrase acceptor reactions

The glucansucrase known as alternansucrase [EC 2.4.1.140] can transfer glucosyl units from sucrose to raffinose to give good yields of oligosaccharides, which may serve as prebiotics. The main products were the tetrasaccharides α-d-Glcp-(1→3)-α-d-Galp-(1→6)-α-d-Glcp-(1↔2)-β-d-Fruf and α-d-Glcp-(1→4)-α-d-Galp-(1→6)-α-d-Glcp-(1↔2)-β-d-Fruf in ratios ranging from 4:1 to 9:1, along with lesser amounts of α-d-Glcp-(1→6)-α-d-Galp-(1→6)-α-d-Glcp-(1↔2)-β-d-Fruf. Ten unusual pentasaccharide structures were isolated. Three of these arose from glucosylation of the major tetrasaccharide product, two each from the minor tetrasaccharides, and three were the result of glucosylations of the fructose acceptor product leucrose or isomaltulose. The major pentasaccharide product arose from glucosylation of the major tetrasaccharide at position 4 of the fructofuranosyl unit, to give a subunit structure analogous to that of maltulose. A number of hexasaccharides and higher oligosaccharides were also produced. Unlike alternansucrase, dextransucrase [EC 2.4.1.5] gave only a single tetrasaccharide product in low yield, and no significant amounts of higher oligosaccharides. The tetrasaccharide structure from dextransucrase was found to be α-d-Glcp-(1→4)-α-d-Galp-(1→6)-α-d-Glcp-(1↔2)-β-d-Fruf, which is at odds with the previously published structure.     

Structural analysis of the O-specific polysaccharide isolated from Plesiomonas shigelloides O51 lipopolysaccharide

Plesiomonasshigelloides strain CNCTC 110/92 (O51) was identified as a new example of plesiomonads synthesising lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) that show preference for a non-aqueous surrounding during phenol/water extraction. Chemical analyses combined with ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, MALDI-TOF and ESI mass spectrometry showed that the repeating units of the O-specific polysaccharides isolated from phenol and water phase LPSs of P. shigelloides O51 have the same structure: →4)-β-d-GlcpNAc3NRA-(1→4)-α-l-FucpAm3OAc-(1→3)-α-d-QuipNAc-(1→, containing the rare sugar constituent 2,3-diamino-2,3-dideoxyglucuronic acid (GlcpNAc3NRA), and substituents such as d-3-hydroxybutyric acid (R) and acetamidino group (Am). The HR-MAS NMR spectra obtained for the isolated LPSs and directly on bacteria indicated that the O-acetylation pattern was consistent throughout the entire preparation. The ¹H chemical shift values of the structure reporter groups identified in the isolated O-antigens matched those present in bacteria. We have found that the O-antigens recovered from the phenol phase showed a higher degree of polymerisation than those isolated from the water phase.     

The O-antigen of Salmonella enterica O13 and its relation to the O-antigen of Escherichia coli O127

The following structure of the O-polysaccharide (O-antigen) of Salmonella enterica O13 was established by chemical analyses along with 2D ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy:→2)-α-l-Fucp-(1→2)-β-d-Galp-(1→3)-α-d-GalpNAc-(1→3)-α-d-GlcpNAc-(1→The O-antigen of S. enterica O13 was found to be closely related to that of Escherichia coli O127, which differs only in the presence of a GalNAc residue in place of the GlcNAc residue and O-acetylation. The location of the O-acetyl groups in the E. coli O127 polysaccharide was determined. The structures of the O-polysaccharides studied are in agreement with the DNA sequence of the O-antigen gene clusters of S. enterica O13 and E. coli O127 reported earlier.     

Isolation of phosphorylated polysaccharides from algae: the immunostimulatory principle of Chlorella pyrenoidosa

The major immunostimulatory principle in the hot aqueous extract of Chlorella pyrenoidosa has been isolated by a sequence of ethanol precipitation, precipitation with a cationic surfactant (CTAB), size exclusion chromatography, and anion exchange chromatography. A series of phosphorylated polysaccharides were obtained having different molecular masses but with similar structures. The higher molecular mass fractions showed considerable activity in the stimulation of mouse peritoneal macrophages to synthesize nitric oxide. The structure of the major polysaccharide was established by sugar analysis, configurational analysis, and 1D and 2D NMR experiments at 500 and 800 MHz on the parent polysaccharide, the de-O-acetylated polysaccharide, and on the components obtained after hydrolysis of the phosphate diesters. It had a β-d-Galp-(1→3)-β-d-Galp-(1→3)-backbone with half of the Galp units substituted at O-6 by terminal β-d-Glcp units. The remaining Galp units were substituted on O-6 by about equal amounts of α-d-Manp-1-phosphate and 3-O-Me-α-Manp-1-phosphate diesters. The substituents were not located in a regularly alternating fashion on the backbone. The O-acetyl groups were largely located on O-2 and O-4 of Galp and 35% of the Galp residues were O-acetylated. This is the second observation of a phosphorylated polysaccharide in an alga and the first where it is present to a significant extent.     

Structure of type 3Gn coaggregation receptor polysaccharide from Streptococcus cristatus LS4

The presence of a novel coaggregation receptor polysaccharide (RPS) on the dental plaque isolate Streptococcus cristatus LS4 was suggested by this strain’s antigenic and coaggregation properties. Examination of RPS isolated from strain LS4 by a combination of 2-dimensional and pseudo 3-dimensional single quantum heteronuclear NMR methods that included detection of ¹³C chemical shifts at high resolution revealed the following repeat unit structure:→6)-β-d-Galf-(1→6)-β-d-GalpNAc-(1→3)-α-d-Galp-(1→P→6)-α-d-Galp-(1→3)-β-L-Rhap-(1→4)-β-d-Glcp-(1→.The identification of this polysaccharide as RPS3Gn, a new structural type, was established by the α-d-Galp-containing epitope of RPS serotype 3 and Gn recognition motif (i.e., β-d-GalpNAc (1→3)-α-d-Galp) for coaggregation with other bacteria.     

Expression of a new disialyllacto structure in the lipopolysaccharide of non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae

The structure of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) expressed by non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) strains 1008 and 1247 has been investigated by mass spectrometry and NMR analyses on O-deacylated LPS and core oligosaccharide material. Both strains express the conserved triheptosyl inner core, [l-α-d-Hepp-(1→2)-[PEtn→6]-l-α-d-Hepp-(1→3)-l-α-d-Hepp-(1→5)-[PPEtn→4]-α-Kdo-(2→6)-Lipid A] with PCho→6)-β-d-Glcp (GlcI) substituting the proximal heptose (HepI) at O-4. Strain 1247 expresses the common structural motifs of H. influenzae; globotetraose [β-d-GalpNAc-(1→3)-α-d-Galp-(1→4)-β-d-Galp-(1→4)-β-d-Glcp-(1→] and its truncated versions globoside [α-d-Galp-(1→4)-β-d-Galp-(1→4)-β-d-Glcp-(1→] and lactose [β-d-Galp-(1→4)-β-d-Glcp-(1→] linked to the terminal heptose of the inner core and GlcI. A genetically distinct NTHi strain, 1008, expresses identical structures to strain 1247 with the exception that it lacks GalNAc. A lpsA mutant of strain 1247 expressed LPS of reduced complexity that facilitated unambiguous structural determination of the oligosaccharide from HepI. By CE-ESI-MS/MS we identified disialylated glycoforms indicating disialyllactose [α-Neu5Ac-(2→8)-α-Neu5Ac-(2→3)-β-d-Gal-(1→4)-β-d-Glcp-(1→] as an extension from GlcI which is a novel finding for NTHi LPS.     

Improved procedures for the selective chemical fragmentation of rhamnogalacturonans

The structural characterization of branched rhamnogalacturonans (RGs) requires the availability of methods that selectively cleave the Rhap-(1→4)-α-GalAp linkage and thereby generate oligosaccharide fragments that are suitable for mass spectrometric and NMR spectroscopic analyses. Enzymic cleavage of this linkage is often ineffective, especially in highly branched RGs. Therefore, we have developed an improved chemical fragmentation method based on β-elimination of esterified 4-linked GalpA residues. At least 85% of the carboxyl groups of the GalA residues in Arabidopsis thaliana seed mucilage RG is esterified using methyl iodide or 3-iodopropanol in Me₂SO containing 8% water and 1% tetrabutylammonium fluoride. However, β-elimination fragmentation at pH 7.3 and 120 °C is far more extensive with hydroxypropyl-esterified RG than with methyl-esterified RG. The non-reducing 4-deoxy-β-l-threo-hex-4-enepyranosyluronic acid residue formed by the β-elimination reaction is completely removed by treatment with aqueous N-bromosuccinimide, thereby simplifying the structural characterization of the chemically generated oligoglycosyl fragments. This newly developed procedure was used to selectively fragment the branched RG from peppergrass seed mucilage. The products were characterized using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, glycosyl residue composition analysis, and 1 and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Our data show that the most abundant low-molecular weight fragments contained a backbone rhamnose residue substituted at O-4 with a single sidechain, and suggest that peppergrass seed mucilage RG is composed mainly of the repeating unit 4-O-methyl-α-d-GlcpA-(1→4)-β-d-Galp-(1→4)-[→4)-α-d-GalpA-(1→2)-]-α-l-Rhap-(1→.     

Structural studies of the lipopolysaccharide from Haemophilus parainfluenzae strain 20

Haemophilus parainfluenzae is a Gram-negative bacterium that colonizes the upper respiratory tract of humans and is a part of normal flora. In this study, we investigated the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) expressed by H. parainfluenzae strain 20. Using NMR and MS techniques on LPS, oligosaccharide samples and lipid A, the structures for O-antigen, core oligosaccharide and lipid A could be established. It was found that the biological repeating unit of the O-antigen is →4)-α-d-GalpNAc-(1→P→6)-β-d-Glcp-(1→3)-α-d-FucpNAc4N-(1→, in which d-FucpNAc4N is 2-acetamido-4-amino-2,4,6-trideoxy-d-galactose. This sugar is in β-configuration when linked to O-4 of the glucose residue of β-d-Galp-(1→2)-l-α-d-Hepp-(1→2)-[PEtn→6]-l-α-d-Hepp-(1→3)-[β-d-Glcp-(1→4)]-l-α-d-Hepp-(1→5)-[PPEtn→4]-α-Kdo-(2→6)-lipid A. LPS from a wbaP mutant of H. parainfluenzae strain 20 did not contain an O-antigen, consistent with the wbaP gene product being required for expression of O-antigen in fully extended LPS.     

Novel O-antigen of Hafnia alvei PCM 1195 lipopolysaccharide with a teichoic acid-like structure

The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Hafnia alvei strain PCM 1195 was obtained by the hot phenol/water method. The O-specific polysaccharide was released by mild acidic hydrolysis and isolated by gel filtration. The structure of the O-specific polysaccharide was investigated by ¹H, ¹³C, and ³¹P NMR spectroscopy, MALDI-TOF MS, and GC-MS, accompanied by monosaccharide and methylation analysis. It was concluded that the O-specific polysaccharide is composed of a hexasaccharide repeating units interlinked with a phosphate group: {→4-α-d-Glcp-(1→3)-α-l-FucpNAc-(1→3)-[α-d-Glcp-(1→4)]-α-d-GlcpNAc-(1→3)-α-l-FucpNAc-(1→4)-α-d-Glcp-(1→P}_n.     

Synthesis of LeLe oligosaccharide fragments and efficient one-step deprotection

We describe here the synthesis of two oligosaccharide fragments of the tumor associated carbohydrate antigen Le^aLe^x. While the linear lacto-N-triose I: β-d-Galp-(1→4)-β-d-GlcNAcp-(1→3)-β-d-Galp-OMe is a known compound, this is the first reported preparation of the branched tetrasaccharide β-d-GlcNAcp-(1→3)-β-d-Galp-(1→4)-[α-l-Fucp-(1→3)]-β-d-GlcNAcp-OMe. Our synthetic schemes involved using an N-trichloroacetylated trichloroacetimidate glucosaminyl donor activated with excess TMSOTf at 0 °C for glycosylation at O-3 of galactosyl residues and that of trichloroacetimidate galactosyl donors activated with excess BF₃·OEt₂ to glycosylate either O-3 or O-4 of glucosamine residues. The fucosylation at O-3 of the glucosamine acceptor was accomplished using a thiofucoside donor activated with copper(II) bromide and tetrabutylammonium bromide. Thus, syntheses of the protected tri- and tetrasaccharides were achieved easily and efficiently using known building blocks. Of particular interest, we also report that these protected oligosaccharides were submitted to dissolving metal conditions (Na-NH₃) to provide in one single step the corresponding deprotected compounds. Under these conditions all protecting groups (O-acyl, benzylidene, benzyl, and N-trichloroacetyl) were efficiently cleaved. The work-up procedure for such reactions usually involves quenching with excess methanol and then neutralization with acetic acid. In our work the neutralization was carried out using acetic anhydride rather than acetic acid to ensure N-acetylation of the glucosamine residue. Both fully deprotected compounds were then simply purified and desalted by gel permeation chromatography on a Biogel P2 column eluted with water.     

Structural characterization and protective effect against murine sepsis of fucogalactans from Agaricus bisporus and Lactarius rufus

Fucogalactans from edible Agaricus bisporus (RFP-Ab) and wild Lactarius rufus (RFP-Lr) mushrooms were obtained on aqueous extraction followed by purification. RFP-Ab had M_w 43.8 × 10⁴ g mol⁻¹ and RFP-Lr M_w 1.4 × 10⁴ g mol⁻¹. RFP-Lr had a (1 → 6)-linked α-d-Galp main-chain partially substituted at O-2 by nonreducing end-units of α-l-Fucp (29%). While RFP-Ab had a similar main chain, it was partially substituted at O-2 by nonreducing end-units of α-l-Fucp (2.8%) and β-d-Galp (14.5%), and partially methylated at HO-3. Both RFP-Lr and RFP-Ab were tested in mice against polymicrobial sepsis. Lethality rate, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and cytokine levels were determined. It was observed a reduction in late mortality rate by 62.5% and 50%, respectively, prevention of neutrophil accumulation in ileum and decreasing in TNF-α and IL-1β serum levels.     

Structural determination of the O-antigenic polysaccharide from Salmonella Mara (O:39)

The O-antigenic polysaccharide of Salmonella Mara O:39 (formerly Q) was investigated by sugar and methylation analyses, absolute configuration assignment, mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. The experiments revealed an O-polysaccharide chain composed of the following linear tetrasaccharide repeating units with the structure:→2)-α-l-Quip3NAc-(1→3)-α-d-Manp-(1→3)-α-l-Fucp-(1→3)-α-d-GalpNAc-(1→where α-l-Quip3NAc is the residue of 3-acetamido-3,6-dideoxy-α-l-glucopyranose. This repeating unit is the first published structure of the O-polysaccharide from 27 serotypes of Salmonella bacteria belonging to serogroup O:39 in the Kauffmann-White classification system.     

Structure of the O-polysaccharide of the lipopolysaccharide of Pragia fontium 97U116

The O-polysaccharide of Pragia fontium 97U116 was obtained by mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide and studied by sugar analysis along with 1D and 2D ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The following structure of the pentasaccharide-repeating unit was established: →2)-α-d-Galf-(1→3)-α-l-Rhap2Ac^I-(1→4)-α-d-GlcpNAc^I-(1→2)-α-l-Rhap^II-(1→3)-β-d-GlcpNAc^II-(1→     

An acetylated galactomannoglucan from the stems of Dendrobium nobile Lindl

A water-soluble polysaccharide DNP-W2 composed of glucose, mannose, and galactose in the molar ratio of 6.1:2.9:2.0 had been isolated from the stems of Dendrobium nobile. Its molecular weight was 1.8 × 10⁴ Da determined by HPGPC. Structural features of DNP-W2 were investigated by a combination of chemical and instrumental analysis, including FTIR, GC, GC-MS, periodate oxidation-Smith degradation, methylation analysis, partial acid hydrolysis, and NMR spectroscopy. The results showed that DNP-W2 is a 2-O-acetylgalactomannoglucan and has a backbone consisting of (1→4)-linked β-d-Glcp, (1→6)-linked β-d-Glcp, and (1→4)-linked β-d-Manp, with branches at O-6 of (1→4)-linked β-d-Glcp and β-d-Manp. The branches are composed of α-d-Galp. The acetyl groups are substituted at O-2 of (1→4)-linked Manp. Preliminary tests in vitro reveals that DNP-W2 can stimulate ConA- and LPS-induced T and B lymphocyte proliferation.     

The structural characterization of the O-polysaccharide antigen of the lipopolysaccharide of Escherichiacoli serotype O118 and its relation to the O-antigens of Escherichiacoli O151 and Salmonellaenterica O47

Mild acid hydrolysis of the lipopolysaccharide produced by Escherichiacoli O118:H16 standard strain (NRCC 6613) afforded an O-polysaccharide (O-PS) composed of d-galactose, 2-acetamidoylamino-2,6-dideoxy-l-galactose , 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-d-glucose, ribitol, and phosphate (1:1:1:1:1). From DOC-PAGE, sugar and methylation analyses, one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy, capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry, hydrolysis, and sequential Smith-type periodate oxidation studies, the O-PS was determined to be an unbranched linear polymer having the structure:[6)-α-d-Galp-(1→3)-α-l-FucpNAm-(1→3)-β-d-GlcpNAc-(1→3)-Rib-ol-5-P-(O→]_nThe structure of the O-PS is consistent with the reported DNA data on the O-antigen gene-cluster of E. coli O118 and interestingly, the O-PS is similar to the structures of the O-antigens of Salmonellaenterica O47 and E. coli O151:H10 reference strain 880-67, as predicted from the results of DNA sequencing of their respective O-antigen gene-clusters.     

Structural and immunochemical studies of neutral exopolysaccharide produced by Lactobacillus johnsonii 142

This paper describes the structure of neutral exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by Lactobacillus johnsonii 142, strain of the lactic acid bacteria isolated from the intestine of mice with experimentally induced inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Sugar and methylation analyses along with ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, including two-dimensional ¹H,¹H COSY, TOCSY, NOESY, and ¹H,¹³C HSQC experiments revealed that the repeating unit of the EPS is a pentasaccharide:→3)-α-d-Galp-(1→3)-β-d-Glcp-(1→5)-β-d-Galf-(1→3)-α-d-Galp-(1→3)-α-d-Galp-(1→The rabbit antiserum raised against whole cells of L. johnsonii 142 reacted with homologous EPS, and cross-reacted with exopolysaccharide from Lactobacillus animalis/murinus 148 isolated also from mice with IBD, but not reacted with EPS of L. johnsonii 151 from healthy mice.     

Acceptor products of alternansucrase with gentiobiose. Production of novel oligosaccharides for food and feed and elimination of bitterness

In the presence of suitable acceptor molecules, dextransucrase makes a homologous series of oligosaccharides in which the isomers differ by a single glucosyl unit, whereas alternansucrase synthesizes one trisaccharide, two tetrasaccharides, etc. Previously, we showed that alternansucrase only forms certain isomers of DP > 4 from maltose in measurable amounts, and that these oligosaccharides belong to the oligoalternan series rather than the oligodextran series. We now demonstrate that the acceptor products from gentiobiose, also formed in good yields (nearly 90% in unoptimized reactions), follow a pattern similar to those formed from maltose. The initial product is a single trisaccharide, α-d-Glcp-(1→6)-β-d-Glcp-(1→6)-d-Glc. Two tetrasaccharides were formed in approximately equal quantities: α-d-Glcp-(1→3)-α-d-Glcp-(1→6)-β-d-Glcp-(1→6)-d-Glc and α-d-Glcp-(1→6)-α-d-Glcp-(1→6)-β-d-Glcp-(1→6)-d-Glc. Just one pentasaccharide was isolated from the reaction mixture, α-d-Glcp-(1→6)-α-d-Glcp-(1→3)-α-d-Glcp-(1→6)-β-d-Glcp-(1→6)-d-Glc. Our hypothesis that the enzyme is incapable of forming two consecutive α-(1→3) linkages, and does not form products with more than two consecutive α-(1→6) linkages, apparently applies to other acceptors as well as to maltose. The glucosylation of gentiobiose reduces or eliminates its bitter taste.     

A dual role for the lex2 locus: identification of galactosyltransferase activity in non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae strains 1124 and 2019

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Haemophilus influenzae comprises a conserved tri-l-glycero-d-manno-heptosyl inner-core moiety (l-α-d-Hepp-(1→2)-[PEtn→6]-l-α-d-Hepp-(1→3)-[β-d-GlcIp-(1→4)]-l-α-d-Hepp-(1→5)-α-Kdop) to which addition of β-d-Glcp to O-4 of GlcI in serotype b strains is controlled by the gene lex2B. In non-typeable H. influenzae strains 1124 and 2019, however, a β-d-Galp is linked to O-4 of GlcI. In order to test the hypothesis that the lex2 locus is involved in the expression of β-d-Galp-(1→4-β-d-Glcp-(1→ from HepI, lex2B was inactivated in strains 1124 and 2019, and LPS glycoform populations from the resulting mutant strains were investigated. Detailed structural analyses using NMR techniques and electrospray-ionisation mass spectrometry (ESIMS) on O-deacylated LPS and core oligosaccharide material (OS), as well as ESIMSⁿ on permethylated dephosphorylated OS, indicated both lex2B mutant strains to express only β-d-Glcp extensions from HepI. This provides strong evidence that Lex2B functions as a galactosyltransferase adding a β-d-Galp to O-4 of GlcI in these strains, indicating that allelic polymorphisms in the lex2B sequence direct alternative functions of the gene product.