Structures and genetics of biosynthesis of glycerol 1-phosphate-containing O-polysaccharides of Escherichia coli O28ab, O37, and O100

• Glycerol 1-phosphate was identified as a component of several E. coli O-polysaccharides.
• The O-polysaccharide structures of E. coli O28ab, O37, and O100 were elucidated.
• O-antigen gene clusters are consistent to the O-polysaccharide structures established.
• Glycosyltransferases encoded in the clusters were tentatively assigned to glycosidic linkages.

O-polysaccharides of E. coli O28ab, O37, and O100 were found to contain glycerol 1–phosphate and the following structures of their oligosaccharide repeats were established by sugar analysis, Smith degradation (for O28ab), 1D and 2D 1H, 13C, and 13P NMR spectroscopy:Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slideFunctions of putative glycosyltransferases genes in the O-antigen gene clusters of the strains studied were tentatively assigned based on similarities to genes of other E. coli O-serogroups available from GenBank and taking into account the O-polysaccharide structures established.

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