Lipopolysaccharides of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa

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Abstract
Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of 2 isolates of M. aeruginosa were extracted with phenol/water and purified. CsCl gradient ultracentrifugation of these preparations yielded only 1 fraction. The LPS contained significant amounts of 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid, glucose, 3-deoxy sugars, glucosamine, fatty acids, fatty acid esters, hexoses and phosphate. Heptose, a characteristic sugar component of the polysaccharide moiety of LPS of most gram-negative bacteria was absent. LPS and lipid A hydrolysate of LPS preparations were active in mouse lethality and Limulus lysate gelation. The lipid A moiety was slightly less active in toxicity and Limulus lysate gelation assays than the intact LPS. The LPS and lipid A moiety of the 2 isolates of M. aeruginosa were less active in toxicity in mice and Limulus test than LPS of Salmonella abortus-equi.