3-O-Methylrhamnose: Identification and distribution in Catellatospora species and related actinomycetes

Abstract

3-O-methylrhamnose was found in cell walls of Catellatospora ferruginea. This sugar was purified and identified by proton and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopy, using the acetylation method. It is localized in the cell wall fraction and occurs at a constant ratio among the cell wall sugars when various carbon sources are used for growth. 3-O-methylrhamnose was found in nine strains of Catellatospora species containing MK-10 as the major menaquinone, but not in nine strains containing MK-9. Among 22 type strains of genera related to Catellatospora (Actinoplanes, Amorphosphorangium, Ampullariella, Dactylosporangium, Micromospora, Glucomyces, and 'Catenuloplanes'), 4 strains contained only trace quantities, and the remainder contained none. Thus, we propose that 3-O-methylrhamnose is a key sugar in the chemotaxonomy of the genes Catellatospora.