Isolation and characterization of lipopolysaccharides from cell walls of blue-green algae of the genus Phormidium

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Abstract
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) fractions were isolated from 3 spp. of blue-green algae of the genus Phormidium, i.e., P. africanum, P. laminosum and P. uncinatum, by using a phenol-water procedure followed by exhaustive extraction with ammonium oxalate. The materials obtained were closely related biochemically. Nearly 60% of the LPS consisted of the polysaccharides galactose, glucose, mannose, xylose, arabinose, and rhamnose and an unidentified, fast-moving sugar residue. Glucosamine, galactosamine and 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate were also detected. Oleic, stearic and palmitic acids were found in the hydrolysate of the lipid component, which averaged 1.5% of the LPS. Concomitantly, the protein component (7-20%) contained the following amino acids: aspartic acid, threonine, serine, glutamic acid, proline, glycine, alanine, valine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, lysine, histidine and arginine. Whole cells and the LPS of Phormidium possessed antigenic properties.