EXTRACELLULAR ACIDIC POLYSACCHARIDES FROM C. INSIDIOSUM AND OTHER CORYNEBACTERIUM SPP.

The extracellular polysaccharide of Corynebacteriuminsidiosum, the causative agent of alfalfa wilt, contains D-glucose, D-galactose, and L-fucose in the proportions 2:3:4, with smaller amounts of an unknown acid. Partial acid hydrolysis of the polysaccharide gives 4-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-L-fucose and 4-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(3-O-D-galactopyranosyl)-L-fucose as neutral oligosaccharides. Also formed are D-galactose, substituted in the 4-position with an unknown acid, and 4-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(3-O-D-galactopyranosyl)-L-fucose, which has the 4-position of the galactopyranosyl moiety substituted in a similar way. It appears that the above oligosaccharides represent the structure of the polysaccharide to a considerable extent.