The composition of the extracellular polysaccharides of Aerobacter–Klebsiella strains

Abstract

Extracellular polysaccharides of 6 Klebsiella strains, corresponding to 5 immunological types (types 8, 26, 29, 54, and 57) and 2 strains of A. cloacae (NCTC 5920, NCTC 5936), were isolated, purified, and shown to be complex polyuronides. The polysaccharide of each Klebsiella type is qualitatively or quantitatively different in composition from those of other types. The slime and capsular polysaccharides of Klebsiella type 54 strain A3 were separately isolated and analyzed, and found to be identical in composition and immunological specificity. The chemical and immunological relationships of the extracellular polysaccharides of Klebsiella type 54, strains Al, A3 and A3 (S1), were examined and found to be identical. The slime polysaccharide of strain A3 (S1) in dilutions of 1/106 reacts with homologous immune serum.