Novel cell-wall teichoic acid from subsp. as a species-specific marker.

Cell walls of the three subsp. strains, DSM 43377, 43378 and 43120 contain structurally identical teichoic acids. The cell wall of each strain has three distinct types of teichoic acids: (1) unsubstituted 3,5-poly(ribitol phosphate), (2) 1,3-poly(glycerol phosphate) partially substituted at C-2 with α--acetylglucosamine residues, and (3) 1,5-poly(ribitol phosphate) with each ribitol unit carrying a 2,4-pyruvate ketal group.