Structural Studies of the Capsular Antigen from Hæmophilus influenzæ Type b.

Abstract

The polymer of the H. influenzae capsular antigen is composed of equimolecular parts of D-ribose, ribitol and phosphate. Dephosphorylation of the polymer by treatment with alkali and then with phosphatase produced a ribosylribitol. Methylation analysis and the optical rotation study showed the disaccharide as a 1-O-D-ribofuranosylribitol and a .beta.-D-ribofuranoside, respectively. The ribitol moiety had the D configuration. The linkage position of the phosphate to the ribitol is also characterized.