The Nature of the Capsular Polysaccharides of the Dextran-Producing Organisms Leuconostoc mesenteroides, L. dextranicum and Streptococcus bovis

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Abstract
SUMMARY: The true capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus bovis contains galactose, glucose, rhamnose and an uronic acid as constituent sugars, whereas those of Leuconostoc mesenteroides and L. dextranicum contain only galactose and glucose in about equal proportions. Contamination of the capsule with dextran, not easily removed by simple washing of the harvested organisms, may occur with all species when grown in sucrose or in glucose media. This contamination is minimized when a glucose medium is inoculated with a glucose culture many times removed from a sucrose-containing medium.