The chemical structure of a fragment of Micrococcus lysodeikticus cell-wall

Abstract

A fragment of Micrococcus lysodeikticus cell-wall obtained by cetylpyridinium precipitation from the nondialyzable portion of the degradation products of egg-white lysozyme was studied by the periodate oxidation and methylation procedures. The fragment consists of a polysaccharide chain composed of about 40 repeating (1→4)- O-(2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β- D-mannopyranosyluronic acid)-(1→6)- O-(α- D-glucopyranosyl) residues with D-glucopyranosyl residues at both ends. The α- D-glucopyranose residue at the reducing end is linked to a phosphate group that is also linked to C-6 of a 2-acetamido-3- O-( D-1-carboxyethyl)-2-deoxy-β- D-glucopyranosyl residue of a peptidoglycan chain composed of four repeating (1→4)- O-(2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β- D-glucopyranosyl)-(1→4)- O-[2-acetamido-3- O-( D-1-carboxyethyl)-2-deoxy-β- D-glucopyranosyl] residues. The peptidoglycan chain has, as nonreducing group, a 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β- D-glucopyranosyl group, and, as reducing residue, a 2-acetamido-3- O-( D-1-carboxyethy])-2-deoxy-β- D-glucose residue.