Presence of fucosamine in teichuronic acid of the alkalophilic Bacillus strain C-125

Abstract

Cell walls of the alkalophilic Bacillus strain C-125 are composed of γ-peptidoglycan, teichuronic acid and a polymer of glucuronate and glutamate. An amino sugar that was a main component of the teichuronic acid did not correspond to any of the commercially available hexosamines. The amino sugar was purified into crystalline form from the hydrolysate of the teichuronic acid by ion-exchange chromatography and then partition chromatography on a cellulose column. The amino sugar was identified as D-fucosamine (2amino-2,6-dideoxy-D-galactose) by 400 MHz n.m.r. spectrometric analysis, measurement of optimal rotation and elemental analysis.