Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

α ε-Diaminopimelic Acid in the Peptide Moiety of the Cell Wall Polysaccharide of Bacillus anthracis

Abstract

Bacillus anthracis contains a polysaccharide which appears to be part of the cell wall1. Ivanovics2 first isolated the polysaccharide which contained galactose 34 per cent, glucosamine 34 per cent, nitrogen 4.2 per cent and α-carboxyl amino-nitrogen 0.8 per cent. Strange and Belton3 obtained from culture filtrates of B. anthracis a polysaccharide which contained galactose 39–43 per cent, glucosamine 34 per cent, nitrogen 3.9 per cent and α-carboxyl amino-nitrogen 1.26 per cent. The differences between the total nitrogen and glucosamine nitrogen values together with the figures for α-carboxyl amino-nitrogen in these preparations indicated the presence of 5–10 per cent of amino-acid residues. Smith and Zwartouw4 obtained a polysaccharide from B. anthracisgrown in vivo. It contained galactose 38–43 per cent, glucosamine 38–44 per cent, nitrogen 4.0 per cent and α-carboxyl amino-nitrogen 0.3 per cent. Since this preparation satisfied a number of rigorous tests for homogeneity it was concluded that a small peptide moiety (2–3 per cent) was firmly attached to the polysaccharide. We are concerned here with the constitution of this peptide moiety.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Tomcsik, J., Symp. Soc. Gen. Microbiol., 6, Bacterial Anatomy, 41 (1956).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Ivanovics, G., Z. Immun. Forsch., 97, 402 (1940).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Strange, R. E., and Belton, F. C., Brit. J. Exp. Path., 35, 153 (1954).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Smith, H., and Zwartouw, H. T., Biochem. J., 63, 447 (1956).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Cummins, C. S., and Harris, H., Biochem. J., 57, 32 (1955); J. Gen. Microbiol., 13, 3 (1955).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Strange, R. E., and Powell, J. F., Biochem. J., 58, 80 (1954).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Rhuland, L. E., Work, E., Denham, R. F., and Hoare, D. S., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 77, 4844 (1955).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Strange, R. E., and Dark, F. A., Nature, 177, 186 (1956).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Guex-Holzer, S., and Tomcsik, J., J. Gen. Microbiol., 14, 14 (1956).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

SMITH, H., STRANGE, R. & ZWARTOUW, H. α ε-Diaminopimelic Acid in the Peptide Moiety of the Cell Wall Polysaccharide of Bacillus anthracis. Nature 178, 865–866 (1956). https://doi.org/10.1038/178865a0

Download citation

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/178865a0

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing