Structure and serological studies of the O-polysaccharide of Proteus penneri 75 Epitopes and subgroups of Proteus serogroup O73

The O-specific polysaccharide of the lipopolysaccharide of Proteus penneri strain 75 consists of tetrasaccharide-ribitol phosphate repeating units and resembles ribitol teichoic acids of Gram-positive bacteria. The following structure of the polysaccharide was elucidated by chemical methods and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy: [structure in text] where Rib-ol is ribitol. Serological studies with polyclonal antisera showed that the same structure of the O-polysaccharide occurred in two strains: P. penneri 75 and 128. A similar structure has been established earlier for the O-polysaccharide of P. penneri 103 [Drzewiecka, D., et al., Carbohydr. Res. 337 (2002) 1535-1540]. On the basis of complex serological investigations with use of two polyclonal P. penneri 75 and 103 O-antisera, five strains could be classified into Proteus O73 serogroup: P. penneri 48, 75, 90, 103 and 128, two of which (P. penneri 75 and 128) should be subdivided into subgroup 73a, 73b and three others (P. penneri 48, 90 and 103) into subgroup 73a, 73c. Epitopes responsible for the cross-reactivity of P. penneri O73 strains and a related strain of P. mirabilis O20 were tentatively defined.     

Structure of the glycerol phosphate-containing O-polysaccharides and serological studies of the lipopolysaccharides of Proteus mirabilis CCUG 10704 (OE) and Proteus vulgaris TG 103 classified into a new Proteus serogroup, O54

O-Polysaccharides were obtained from the lipopolysaccharides of Proteus mirabilis CCUG 10704 (OE) and Proteus vulgaris TG 103 and studied by chemical analyses and one- and two-dimensional (1)H and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, including rotating-frame nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy, H-detected (1)H,(13)C heteronuclear single-quantum spectroscopy and (1)H,(31)P heteronuclear multiple-quantum spectroscopy experiments. The Proteus mirabilis OE polysaccharide was found to have a trisaccharide repeating unit with a lateral glycerol phosphate group. The Proteus vulgaris TG 103 produces a similar O-polysaccharide, which differs in incomplete substitution with glycerol phosphate (c. 50% of the stoichiometric amount) and the presence of an O-acetyl group at position 6 of the 2-acetamido-2-deoxygalactose (GalNAc) residue. These structures are unique among the known bacterial polysaccharide structures. Based on the structural and serological data of the lipopolysaccharides, it is proposed to classify both strains studied into a new Proteus serogroup, O54, as two subgroups, O54a,54b and O54a,54c. The serological relatedness of the Proteus O54 and some other Proteus lipopolysaccharides is discussed.     

Structure of the O-polysaccharide leads to classification of Proteus penneri 31 in Proteus serogroup O19

O-polysaccharide was obtained by mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Proteus penneri strain 31. Sugar and methylation analyses along with NMR spectroscopic studies, including 2D 1H,1H COSY, TOCSY, ROESY, 1H,13C and 1H,31P HMQC experiments, demonstrated the following structure of the polysaccharide: [carbohydrate structure: see text] where FucNAc is 2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxygalactose and EtnP is 2-aminoethyl phosphate. The polysaccharide studied has the same carbohydrate backbone as the O-polysaccharide of Proteus vulgaris O19. Based on this finding and close serological relatedness of the LPS of the two strains, it is proposed to classify P. penneri 31 in Proteus serogroup O19 as an additional subgroup. In contrast, D-GlcNAc6PEtn and alpha-L-FucNAc-(1-->3)-D-GlcNAc shared with a number of other Proteus O-polysaccharides could not provide any significant cross-reactivity of the corresponding LPS with rabbit polyclonal O-antiserum against P. penneri 31.     

Structure of the O-polysaccharide of Proteus penneri 28 and Proteus vulgaris O31 and classification of P. penneri 26 and 28 in Proteus serogroup O31

The lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of Proteus penneri 28 and Proteus vulgaris O31 (PrK 55/57) were degraded with dilute acetic acid and structurally identical high-molecular-mass O-polysaccharides were isolated by gel-permeation chromatography. Sugar analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic studies showed that both polysaccharides contain D-GlcNAc, 2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-L-glucose (L-2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxyglucose (N-acetylquinovosamine)) and 2-acetamido-3-O-[(S)-1-carboxyethyl]-2-deoxy-D-glucose (N-acetylisomuramic acid) and have the following structure: [carbohydrate structure: see text] where (S)-1-carboxyethyl [a residue of (S)-lactic acid] (S-Lac) is an ether-linked residue of (S)-lactic acid. The O-polysaccharide studied is structurally similar to that of P. penneri 26, which differs only in the absence of S-Lac from the GlcNAc residue. Based on the O-polysaccharide structures and serological data of the LPS, it was suggested classifying these strains in one Proteus serogroup, O31, as two subgroups: O(31a), 31b for P. penneri 28 and P. vulgaris PrK 55/57 and O31a for P. penneri 26. A serological relatedness of the LPS of Proteus O(31a), 31b and P. penneri 62 was revealed and substantiated by sharing epitope O31b, which is associated with N-acetylisomuramic acid. It was suggested that a cross-reactivity of P. penneri 28 O-antiserum with the LPS of several other P. penneri strains is due to a common epitope(s) on the LPS core.     

Structure of the O-polysaccharide and serological studies of the lipopolysaccharide of Proteus mirabilis 2002

The structure of the O-polysaccharide of the lipopolysaccharide of Proteus mirabilis 2002 was elucidated by chemical methods and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. It was found that the polysaccharide consists of branched pentasaccharide repeating units having the following structure: [structure in text]. The O-polysaccharide of P. mirabilis 2002 has a common tetrasaccharide fragment with that of P. mirabilis 52/57 from serogroup O29, and the lipopolysaccharides of the two strains are serologically related. Therefore, based on the structural and serological data, we propose to classify P. mirabilis 2002 into the Proteus O29 serogroup as a subgroup O29a,29b.     

Structure of the O-polysaccharide of Proteus mirabilis CCUG 10701 (OB) classified into a new Proteus serogroup, O74

An acidic O-polysaccharide was isolated by mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide of Proteus mirabilis CCUG 10701 (OB) and studied by chemical analyses and (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy. The following structure of the tetrasaccharide repeating unit of the polysaccharide was established: --> 3)-beta-D-GlcpNAc6Ac-(1 --> 2)-beta-D-GalpA4Ac-(1--> 3)-alpha-D-GalpNAc-(1 --> 4)-alpha-D-GalpA-(1 -->, where the degree of O-acetylation at position 6 of GlcNAc is approximately 50% and at position 4 of beta-GalA approximately 60%. Based on the unique structure of the O-polysaccharide and serological data, it is proposed to classify P. mirabilis CCUG 10701 (OB) into a new Proteus serogroup, O74.     

Structure of the O-polysaccharide of Proteus serogroup O34 containing 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-alpha-D-galactosyl phosphate

On mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide of Proteus vulgaris O34, strain CCUG 4669, the O-polysaccharide was cleaved at a glycosyl-phosphate linkage that is present in the main chain. The resultant phosphorylated oligosaccharides and an alkali-treated lipopolysaccharide were studied by sugar and methylation analyses along with 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, and the following structure of the branched tetrasaccharide phosphate repeating unit of the O-polysaccharide was established: [carbohydrate structure: see text]The O-polysaccharide of Proteus mirabilis strain TG 276 was found to have the same structure and, based on the structural and serological data, this strain was proposed to be classified into the same Proteus serogroup O34.     

Structure of a glucosyl phosphate-containing O-polysaccharide of Proteus vulgaris O42

An O-polysaccharide was isolated by mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide of Proteus vulgaris O42 and studied by sugar and methylation analyses along with 1H, 13C and 31P NMR spectroscopy. The following structure of the polysaccharide having a linear pentasaccharide phosphate repeating unit was established: -->3)-alpha-L-FucpNAc4Ac-(1-->4)-alpha-D-Glcp-1-P-(O-->4)-alpha-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->3)-alpha-L-FucpNAc4Ac-(1-->3))-alpha-D-GlcpNAc6Ac-(1--> where the degree of O-acetylation is approximately 80% on GlcNAc and approximately 40% on each of the FucNAc residues. A weak serological cross-reaction of anti-P. vulgaris O42 serum with the lipopolysaccharide of P. vulgaris O39 was observed and accounted for by the sharing of a disaccharide fragment of the O-polysaccharides.     

Structure of the O-polysaccharide and serological cross-reactivity of the Providencia stuartii O33 lipopolysaccharide containing 4-(N-acetyl-D-aspart-4-yl)amino-4,6-dideoxy-D-glucose

The O-polysaccharide of Providencia stuartii O33 was obtained by mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide and the following structure of the tetrasaccharide repeating unit was established: -->6)-alpha-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->4)-alpha-D-GalpA-(1-->3)-alpha-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->3)-beta-D-Quip4N(Ac-D-Asp)-(1-->, where d-Qui4N(Ac-D-Asp) is 4-(N-acetyl-D-aspart-4-yl)amino-4,6-dideoxy-D-glucose. Structural studies were performed using sugar and methylation analyses and NMR spectroscopy, including conventional 2D 1H, 1H COSY, TOCSY, NOESY and 1H, 13C HSQC experiments as well as COSY and NOESY experiments in an H2O-D2O mixture to reveal correlations for NH protons. The O-polysaccharide of P. stuartii O33 shares an alpha-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->3)-beta-D-Quip4N(Ac-D-Asp) epitope with that of Proteus mirabilis O38, which seems to be responsible for a marked serological cross-reactivity of anti-P. stuartii O33 serum with the lipopolysaccharide of the latter bacterium. P. stuartii O33 is serologically related also to P. stuartii O4, whose O-polysaccharide contains a lateral beta-D-Qui4N(Ac-L-Asp) residue.     

Structure of the O-polysaccharide of a serologically separate strain of Proteus mirabilis, TG 332, from a new proposed Proteus serogroup O50

The O-polysaccharide was obtained by mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide of Proteus mirabilis TG 332 strain. The following structure of the O-polysaccharide was determined by chemical methods along with NMR spectroscopy, including 2D COSY, TOCSY, ROESY and 1H, 13C HMQC experiments: [see equation in text]. The O-polysaccharide studied has a unique structure among Proteus O-antigens. Accordingly, P. mirabilis TG 332 is serologically separate, and we propose to classify this strain into a new Proteus serogroup, O50. The nature of minor epitopes that provide a cross-reactivity of P. mirabilis TG 332 O-antiserum with the LPS of P. mirabilis O30 and Proteus penneri 34 (O60) is discussed.     

Structure of the N-acetyl-L-rhamnosamine-containing O-polysaccharide of Proteus vulgaris TG 155 from a new Proteus serogroup, O55

The O-polysaccharide of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Proteus vulgaris TG 155 was found to contain 2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-L-mannose (N-acetyl-L-rhamnosamine, L-RhaNAc), a monosaccharide that occurs rarely in Nature. The following structure of the O-polysaccharide was established by NMR spectroscopy, including 2D COSY, TOCSY, ROESY and 1H,13C HSQC experiments, along with chemical methods: [carbohydrate structure in text] Rabbit polyclonal O-antiserum against P. vulgaris TG 155 reacted with both core and O-polysaccharide moieties of the homologous LPS but showed no cross-reactivity with other LPS from the complete set of serologically different Proteus strains. Based on the unique O-polysaccharide structure and the serological data, we propose classifying P. vulgaris TG 155 into a new, separate Proteus O-serogroup, O55.     

Structure of the O-polysaccharide from the lipopolysaccharide of Providencia alcalifaciens O60

An O-polysaccharide (O-antigen) was isolated by mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide of Providencia alcalifaciens O60 and studied by sugar and methylation analyses as well as ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, including 2D ROESY and ¹H,¹³C HMBC experiments in D₂O and a ROESY experiment in a 9:1 H₂O–D₂O mixture to reveal correlations for NH protons. It was found that the polysaccharide is built up of linear pentasaccharide repeating units containing an amide of d-glucuronic acid with l-serine and has the following structure:The O-antigen studied is structurally and serologically closely related to the O-antigen of Proteus vulgaris O44.     

Structure of the O-polysaccharide from the lipopolysaccharide of Hafnia alvei strain PCM 1529

The following structure of the pentasaccharide repeating unit of an acidic O-polysaccharide of Hafnia alvei PCM 1529 was established by sugar and methylation analyses along with 1D and 2D 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy: [Carbohydrate structure: see text].     

Structure of the O-polysaccharide of Proteus mirabilis OC (CCUG 10702) from a new proposed Proteus serogroup O75

A neutral O-polysaccharide was obtained by mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide of Proteus mirabilis OC (CCUG 10702) and studied by sugar and methylation analyses and (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy. The following structure of the tetrasaccharide repeating unit of the polysaccharide was established: [structure: see text]. Based on the unique structure of the O-polysaccharide and serological data, we propose classifying P. mirabilis OC (CCUG 10702) into a new separate Proteus serogroup O75. A weak cross-reaction of O-antiserum against P. mirabilis OC with the lipopolysaccharide of P. mirabilis O49 was accounted for by a similarity in the O-polysaccharide structures.     

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→     

Structure of the neutral O-polysaccharide and biological activities of the lipopolysaccharide of Proteus mirabilis O20

Mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Proteus mirabilis O20 resulted in depolymerisation of the O-polysaccharide to give a repeating-unit pentasaccharide. A polysaccharide was obtained by O-deacylation of the LPS followed by nitrous acid deamination. The derived pentasaccharide and polysaccharide were studied by NMR spectroscopy, including 2D 1H,1H COSY, TOCSY, ROESY, 1H,13C HMQC and HMQC-TOSCY experiments, along with chemical methods, and the following structure of the repeating unit of the O-polysaccharide was established: [Carbohydrate structure: see text]. As opposite to most other P. mirabilis O-polysaccharides studied, that of P. mirabilis O20 is neutral. A week serological cross-reactivity was observed between anti-P. mirabilis O20 serum and LPS of a number of Proteus serogroups with known O-polysaccharide structure. The ability of LPS of P. mirabilis O20 to activate the serine protease cascade was tested in Limulus amoebocyte lysate and in human blood plasma and compared with that of P. mirabilis O14a,14c having an acidic O-polysaccharide. The LPS of P. mirabilis O20 was found to be less active in both assays than the LPS of P. mirabilis O14a,14c and, therefore, the structurally variable O-polysaccharide may influenced the biological activity of the conserved lipid A moiety of the LPS.     

Structure of the O-specific polysaccharide of Proteus vulgaris O45 containing 3-acetamido-3,6-dideoxy-D-galactose

An O-specific polysaccharide was isolated by mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide of Proteus vulgaris O45 and studied by sugar and methylation analyses along with 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, including 2D COSY, TOCSY, ROESY, H-detected 1H,13C HSQC and HMBC experiments. The following structure of the pentasaccharide repeating unit of the polysaccharide was established:-->6)-alpha-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->4)-alpha-D-GalpNAc-(1-->4)-alpha-D-GalpA-(1-->3)-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->2)-beta-D-Fucp3NAc4Ac-(1-->where Fuc3NAc4Ac is 3-acetamido-4-O-acetyl-3,6-dideoxygalactose. A cross-reactivity of anti-P. vulgaris O45 serum was observed with several other Proteus lipopolysaccharides, which contains Fuc3N derivatives.     

Structure of the O-polysaccharide from the lipopolysaccharide of Providencia alcalifaciens O29

The O-polysaccharide was obtained by a mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide of Providencia alcalifaciens O29. Structural studies were performed using sugar and methylation analyses along with 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, including two-dimensional 1H, 1H COSY, TOCSY, ROESY, H-detected 1H, 13C HSQC and HMBC experiments. On the basis of the data obtained, the following structure of the branched tetrasaccharide repeating unit of the O-polysaccharide was established: [structure: see text].     

Structure of the O-polysaccharide from the lipopolysaccharide of Providencia alcalifaciens O28

An O-polysaccharide and oligosaccharides were isolated by GPC following mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide of Providencia alcalifaciens O28. The O-polysaccharide was studied by sugar and methylation analyses, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, including 2D ROESY and H-detected ¹H,¹³C HSQC and HMBC experiments, and the following structure of the branched pentasaccharide repeating unit was established:This structure was confirmed by ESI MS of the isolated tridecasaccharide consisting of the lipopolysaccharide core and one O-polysaccharide repeat. The ESI mass spectrum also enabled inferring the composition of the core oligosaccharide.     

Structure of the O-polysaccharide of the lipopolysaccharide of Azospirillum irakense KBC1

The O-polysaccharide was isolated from the lipopolysaccharide of the plant-growth-promoting bacterium Azospirillum irakense KBC1 and studied by sugar and methylation analyses, Smith degradation and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, including 1H, 13C HSQC and NOESY experiments for linkage and sequence analysis. The following structure of the branched hexasaccharide repeating unit of the O-polysaccharide with an unusually long side chain was established: [carbohydrate structure: see text].