| Abstract: | Cellular and free lipopolysaccharides obtained from Neisseria catarrhalis and Branhamella catarrhalis were found to be essentially identical. Both cellular and free lipopolysaccharides contained core-oligosaccharides of the following composition: D-glucose (4 mol), D-galactose (1 mol), 2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucose (1 mol), and 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid. Aldoheptose and phosphate components were below levels of detection. Several physical methods indicated that all core-oligosaccharide preparations were identical. Lipid A preparations from cellular and free lipopolysaccharides of both organisms were qualitatively and quantitatively similar; they were composed of decanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, 3-hydroxy dodecanoic acid, 2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucose, phosphate, and ethanolamine. The results tend to justify the transfer of Neisseria catarrhalis to the genus Branhamella. |
