Structure of a Teichoic Acid from Nocardioides luteus VKM Ac-1246^T Cell Wall

A. S. Shashkov¹, E. M. Tul'skaya², L. I. Evtushenko³, A. A. Gratchev¹, and I. B. Naumova^2*

¹Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninskii pr. 47, Moscow, 117913 Russia; fax: (095) 135-5328

²School of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119899 Russia; fax: (095) 939-4309; E-mail: naumova@microbiol.bio.msu.su

³Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142292 Russia; fax: (095) 923-3602

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received July 13, 1999

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A teichoic acid from the cell walls of Nocardioides luteus VKM Ac-1246^T, a validly described species of the Nocardioides genus, is a 1,5-poly(ribitol phosphate) completely substituted at C-4 by alpha-D-galactopyranosyl residues carrying a 4,6-pyruvate ketal group in R-configuration. The structure of the repeating unit of the polymer is as follows: [figure]. The chain consists of approximately 18 repeating units and six beta-D-galactofuranosyl residues linked in the oligomer by 1,6-glycosidic bonds. The oligomer probably terminates the growing end of the teichoic acid. The structure of the polymer was determined by chemical methods and NMR spectroscopy. This teichoic acid has not been described so far.

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KEY WORDS: cell wall, teichoic acid, NMR spectroscopy, Nocardioides, pyruvic acid

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