Structure of the cell wall of Staphylococcus aureus, strain Copenhagen. III. Further studies of the disaccharides

Two disaccharides have previously been obtained in high yield from the cell wall of S. aureus by the use of hydrolytic enzymes. Disaccharide 1 is N-acetylglucosaminyl-N-acetylmuramic acid and disaccharide 2 is N-acetylglucosaminyl-N,Ogr;-diacetylmuramic acid. After hydrolysis of disaccharide 2 with β-acetylglucosaminidase, N,O-diacetylmuramic acid was prepd. Data obtained from periodate oxidn. of these compds. coupled with their susceptibility to β-acetylglucosaminidase indicate that both disaccharides are β-1,4-linked and that the O-acetyl group of disaccharide 2 is on the 6-position of N-acetylmuramic acid. The high reducing power and pos. Morgan-Elson reaction of the disaccharides are due to their unusual susceptibility to hydrolysis at alk. pH. These and other anomalous properties of the compds. are discussed. [on SciFinder(R)