Structure and gene cluster of the O-antigen of Escherichia coli O102

The O-polysaccharide (O-antigen) of Escherichia coli O102 was studied by sugar analysis along with one- and two-dimensional 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The following structure of the branched pentasaccharide repeating unit was established: The O-antigen gene cluster of E. coli O102 was sequenced. The gene functions were tentatively assigned by comparison with sequences in the available databases and found to be in full agreement with the E. coli O102 O-polysaccharide structure.