Structure of polysaccharide-peptidoglycan complex from the cell wall of Lactobacillus casei YIT9018

The isolation and analysis of the polysaccharide-peptidoglycan complexes of Lactobacillus casei YIT9018 are presented. Two polysaccharide-peptidoglycan complexes, PS-PG1 and PS-PG2, were solubilized from the heat-killed cell by treatment with N-acetylmuramidase. PS-PG1 was composed of glucose, rhamnose, and small amount of galactose and glucosamine. PS-PG2 was composed of glucose, rhamnose, galactosamine, and glucosamine. The ratio by weight of these fractions was about 1:8. PS-PG2 was analyzed in detail. Smith degradation and deamination of this complex yielded oligosaccharide units. The results of methylation analysis of these units and intact PS-PG2 led to the most probable structure of PS-PG2: (formula; see text)     

Characterization of alkaline phosphatase from bovine polymorphonuclear neutrophils

We characterized the bovine polymorphonuclear neutrophil alkaline phosphatase which was considerably purified with a sp. act. of 206 units/mg of protein. The Km value for p-nitrophenylphosphate at pH 10.0 was 1.69 mM. L-Histidine, imidazole and L-homoarginine but not L-phenylalanine inhibited the enzyme. In heat stability study, the enzyme lost 50% activity at 56 degrees C for 20 min. The enzyme had a half-life of 30 min in 3 M urea at 37 degrees C and pH 7.5. The enzyme was inhibited by beta-mercaptoethanol in a dose-dependent fashion. It is suggested from above results that the neutrophil alkaline phosphatase isozyme could be distinguishable from other tissue isozymes.