Some structural features of the teichuronic acid of Bacillus licheniformis N.C.T.C. 6346 cell walls.
A teichuronic acid, containing glucuronic acid and N-acetylgalactosamine, was purified from acid extracts of Bacillus licheniformis 6346 cell walls as described by Janczura, Perkins & Rogers (1961). After reduction of the carboxyl function of glucuronic acid residues in the polysaccharide the reduced polymer contains equimolar amounts of N-acetylgalactosamine and glucose. Methylation of the reduced polysaccharide by the Hakamori (1964) technique showed the glucose residues to be substituted on C-4. A disaccharide, 3-O-glucuronosylgalactosamine, was isolated from partial acid hydrolysates of teichuronic acid. After N-acetylation the disaccharide produces chromogen readily on heating at pH7, in agreement with C-3 substitution of the reducing N-acetylamino sugar. Teichuronic acid also produces chromogen under the same conditions, with concurrent elimination of a modified polysaccharide from C-3 of reducing terminal N-acetylgalactosamine residues of the teichuronic acid chains. The number-average chain lengths of several preparations of teichuronic acid were estimated from the amounts of chromogen produced in comparison with the N-acetylated disaccharide. The values obtained are in good agreement with the weight-average molecular weight determined by ultracentrifugal analysis. The reducing terminals of teichuronic acid are shown to be exclusively N-acetylgalactosamine by reduction with sodium boro[(3)H]hydride. The number-average chain lengths of the teichuronic acid preparations were estimated by the extent of in corporation of tritium and are in agreement with values obtained by the other methods.
D001407:Bacillus / Q000166:cytology*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000032:analysis*; D002845:Chromatography; D004187:Disaccharides / Q000032:analysis; D005965:Glucuronates / Q000032:analysis; D006595:Hexosamines / Q000032:analysis; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D014316:Tritium
D004187:Disaccharides; D005965:Glucuronates; D006595:Hexosamines; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D014316:Tritium