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. 1991 Jul;173(13):4088–4094. doi: 10.1128/jb.173.13.4088-4094.1991

Biosynthesis of the Escherichia coli K5 polysaccharide, a representative of group II capsular polysaccharides: polymerization in vitro and characterization of the product.

A Finke 1, D Bronner 1, A V Nikolaev 1, B Jann 1, K Jann 1
PMCID: PMC208057  PMID: 1829455

Abstract

Biosynthesis of the capsular K5 polysaccharide of Escherichia coli, which has the structure 4)-beta GlcA-1,4-alpha GlcNAc-(1, was studied with membrane preparations from an E. coli K5 wild-type strain and from a recombinant K-12 strain expressing the K5 capsule. Polymerization occurs at the inner face of the cytoplasmic membrane without the participation of lipid-linked oligosaccharides. The serological K5 specificity of the in vitro product was determined with a K5-specific monoclonal antibody in an antigen-binding assay. The K5 polysaccharide, as obtained from the membranes after an in vitro incubation, has 2-keto-3-deoxyoctulosonic acid as the reducing sugar, which indicates that the polysaccharide grows by chain elongation at the nonreducing end.

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Selected References

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