Escherichia coli serotype-39 capsular polysaccharide: primary structure and depolymerisation by a bacteriophage-associated glycanase.
The acidic capsular polysaccharide isolated from Escherichia coli O9:K39:H9 was investigated, using n.m.r. spectroscopy, methylation analysis, uronic acid degradation of the native and methylated polysaccharides, and bacteriophage-associated enzyme degradation. The structure of the repeating unit, which is shown below, is identical to that reported for Klebsiella serotype-61 capsular polysaccharide. (formula; see text)