Characterization and Lethality of Endotoxic Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of Salmonellae

Salmonellae Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) could be extracted from different serovars in amounts varying from 1.5% to 5% of bacterial weight. No clear influence of motility on the amount of extracted LPS was detected. These LPS were studied by Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and all of them gave one major band representing the core antigen with a molecular weight varying from 4 to 12 while some of them showed extra minor bands. The LD50 of different LPS preparations varied from 150 to 300 µg. The highest value was obtained by motile and non-motile Salmonella Dublin (300 µg each). Sensitization of mice at time of LPS injection by galactosamine resulted in the exaggeration of lethality induced by LPS preparation for up to 300 times. Keywords: Lipopolysaccharide – LPS – Salmonella– SDS-PAGE – electrophoresis