Purification and Properties of an Extracellular Polysaccharide Containing Amino Sugars Formed by Bacillus cereus

SUMMARY: A water-soluble polysaccharide containing amino sugars was isolated from the culture fluid of Bacillus cereus by alcohol precipitation and purified by chromato-graphy on DEAE-cellulose followed by gel filtration. It was composed of N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylgalactosamine and D-glucose, in the molar ratio 5:3:1. N-Acetylgalactosamine was found at the reducing end. The polymer gave a single peak in the analytical ultracentrifuge, corresponding to a mol. wt of 35000.