95 Chemical Analysis and Inhibition Reactions of the Group and Type Antigens of Group F Streptococci

Qualitative and quantitative analyses of formamide extracts of group F streptococci revealed rhamnose, glucose, galactose, glucosamine and galactosamine as main components. The rhamnose content was high. Streptococci, carrying a type antigen in the cell wall, excreted into the medium also a polysaccharide with the same serological activity. These soluble polysaccharides contained no muramic acid, small amounts of rhamnose, but had a high glucosamine and mannose content. Column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose revealed the formamide extracts to be heterogeneous. Over 90 yo of the serological activity could be recovered in one of the fractions. Inhibition reactions of the quantitative precipita-tion with a number of simple sugars gave indications about the composi-tion of the determinant groups of group and type antigens. Rhamnose was inactive in all cases. The determinant group of the group F antigen is at least a disaccharide with a /3-glucosidic moiety. The determinants of the type antigens I and I1 probably contain N-acetyl-galactosamine. There is evidence for a second determinant in type antigen 11. The determinants of type antigens I11 and V contain a,8-glucosidic moiety, that of antigen IV a P-galactosidic moiety