Composition of lipopolysaccharides fromRhizobium andAgrobacterium

Lipopolysaccharides were prepared from 9Agrobacterium and 16Rhizobium strains. Glucose and rhamnose were the only monosaccharides present in all preparations, but mannose, glucosamine and 4-O-methylglucuronic acid were common components. Fucose (present in 9 strains), galactose (10 strains), xylose (3 strains) and arabinose (1 strain) were also detected but there was no evidence of dideoxy sugars, of heptose, or of other hexosamines. The possible significance of the results in the serological classification ofRhizobium andAgrobacterium, and in host selection ofRhizobium is discussed.