The Exopolysaccharides of Klebsiella Serotype 2 Strains as Substrates for Phage-induced Polysaccharide Depolymerases

Abstract

SUMMARY: A phage-induced enzyme has been used to hydrolyse the exopolysaccharides prepared from nine Klebsiella serotype 2 strains. In each case, the major product was a tetrasaccharide with chemical composition corresponding to the carbohydrate repeating unit of the polysaccharide. The tetrasaccharides also contained formate, sometimes with acetate or pyruvate. As the terminal reducing sugar in each tetrasaccharide was mannose, the enzyme is a mannosidase hydrolysing the d-mannosyl 1 → 4 d-glucose linkage.