title: [Estimation of mean molecular weight of Enterobacteriaceae lipopolysaccharides using gas chromatography for determination of fatty acids].
abstract: In the paper, we propose a method for estimation of the mean molecular weight of lipopolysaccharide, which is important for accuracy of endotoxin activity investigation. In our study, it was assumed that lipid A portion in Enterobacterial lipopolysaccharide is substituted by four 3-hydroxytetradecanoic acid residues. Lipopolysaccharides of S, Ra, Rc and Re chemotypes being laboratory preparations as well as purchased from Sigma were investigated. Fatty acids were determined by of gas chromatography as methyl esters according to the procedure described by Wollenweber and Rietschel. Mean molecular weight was calculated by the formula: MMW = [formula: see text]. A high agreement between the estimated and the theoretical molecular weight values was demonstrated in the case of Salmonella minnesota R595 (Re) LPS preparation. As expected, LPS heterogeneity increase together with enlargement of polysaccharide chain length which is visible in electrophoregrams also. Except for LPS mean molecular weight estimation, the method allows its detection in various preparations and samples, distinguishing of R and S LPS forms as well as the determination of mean length of O-specific chain in lipopolysaccharides which structures are known.
authors.affiliation: Pracownia Struktur Komórkowych Centrum Mikrobiologii i Wirusologii PAN w Lodzi.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ziółkowski
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Swierzko
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cedzyński
mesh_terms: D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000032:analysis; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008970:Molecular Weight; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D004731:Endotoxins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides