Nocardia kirovani cell walls possess a lipidic fraction, a lipolysaccharidic fraction and a peptidoglycan. The lipidic part is composed of glycerides, C(16) and C(18) free fatty acids, nocardic acids and of a carotenoid pigment. The lipopolysaccharidic part is composed of an arabinogalactan esterified by nocardic acids. The glycan strand consists of alternating 1-->4 linked N-acetylglucosamine and N-glycolylmuramic acid residues substituted by a peptide subunit in which the aminoacids Ala, Glu, meso-Dap are present in the molar proportions 1,7:1,2:1.
Guinand
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M
Laboratoire de Chimie biologique, Faculté des Sciences de Lyon, 43 Boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918, 69, Villeurbanne, France
Vacheron
M J.
MJ
Michel
G
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