Structure and gene cluster of a tyvelose-containing O-polysaccharide of an entomopathogenic bacterium Yersinia entomophaga MH96 related to Yersinia pseudotuberculosis.

An O-polysaccharide was isolated from the lipopolysaccharide of an entomopathogenic bacterium Yersinia entomophaga MH96 by mild acid hydrolysis and studied by 2D NMR spectroscopy. The following structure of the branched tetrasaccharide repeating unit of the polysaccharide was established: where Tyv indicates 3,6-dideoxy-d-arabino-hexose (tyvelose). The structure established is consistent with the gene content of the O-antigen gene cluster. The O-polysaccharide structure and gene cluster of Y. entomophaga are related to those of some Y. pseudotuberculosis serotypes.