Chemical Characterization of Lipopolysaccharides from Proteus Strains Used in Weil‐Felix Test

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Abstract
The lipopolysaccharides (LPS) extracted from Proteus strains OX2, OX19, and OXK used as antigens in the Weil‐Felix test, were characterized by chemical analysis and SDS‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE). To separate the O‐polysaccharide, core‐oligosaccharide, and lipid A moieties, each LPS was treated with 2% acetic acid, centrifuged, and applied to Sephadex G‐50 column. The core‐oligosaccharides contained L‐glycero‐D‐mannoheptose, D‐glycero‐D‐man‐noheptose, glucose (Glc), galactose, 3‐deoxy‐D‐mannooctulosonic acid, uronic acid, phosphate, glucosamine (GlcN), and galactosamine (GalN). The lipid A preparations contained GlcN, GlcN‐phosphate, and three fatty acids (myristic, palmitic, and β‐hydroxymyristic acids). However, the O‐polysaccharides of OX2‐ and OXK‐LPS had different chemical compositions which consisted of Glc, GlcN, and quinovosamine, and Glc, uronic acid, and GalN, respectively, while OX19‐LPS seemed to lack O‐polysaccharide.