[Comparative characterisation of lipopolysaccharides of Rahnella aquatills].

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of eight strains of R. aquatilis isolated from different sources have been studied. The studies of neutral monosaccharide composition evidence that all of LPS contain galactose (13.4-68.5%), glucose (5.7-29.8%) and heptose (2.6-8.3%) (depending on strains). Some monosaccharides, such as ribose (95U007), rhamnose (95U011, 95U012, 96U036), fucose (95U003, 95U004, 95U007) and mannose (95U012, 96U035, 96U036, 96U037) were absent in LPS. Arabinose was present in two strains--95U003 and 95U007. On the basis of monosaccharide composition all investigated LPS can be divided into six groups. It was shown by double immunodiffusion in agar that all R. aquatilis LPS displayed antigenic activity in homological systems. The results of serological cross reactions indicate the immunochemical heterogeneity of R. aquatilis species.