Structure of the Capsular Polysaccharide of <i>Klebsiella</i> K-type 56

Abstract

Methylation, periodate oxidation, and partial hydrolysis studies on the capsular polysaccharide of Klebsiella K-type 56 show the structure to be a repeating unit consisting of[Formula: see text]The nature of the anomeric linkages was determined by p.m.r. spectroscopy of isolated oligosaccharides. The position of the L-rhamnose side chain was defined by characterization of the di- and tetrasaccharides obtained by partial hydrolysis of the fully methylated polysaccharide.This structure represents the first capsular polysaccharide lacking uronic acid to be studied in the genus Klebsiella.