Cell Wall Teichoic Acids of Actinomycetes of Three Genera of the Order Actinomycetales

G. M. Streshinskaya¹, A. S. Shashkov², A. I. Usov², L. I. Evtushenko³, and I. B. Naumova^1*

¹School of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 199899 Russia; E-mail: naumova@microbiol.bio.msu.su; i_naumova@mail.ru

²Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninskii pr. 47, Moscow, 117334 Russia; fax: (095) 135-5328

³Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. Nauki 5, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142292 Russia; fax: (095) 923-3602

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received July 12, 2001; Revision received March 18, 2002

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The structures of cell wall teichoic acids of the members of newly recognized genera of the order Actinomycetales were studied. Planotetraspora mira VKM Ac-2000^T contains two types of teichoic acids: 2,3-poly(glycerol phosphate) substituted with alpha-D-Galp at C-1 of glycerol and 1,3-poly(glycerol phosphate) substituted with alpha-L-Rhap at OH-2 of glycerol (60%). Herbidospora cretacea VKM Ac-1997^T contains the chains of 1,3-poly(glycerol phosphate) partially substituted with alpha-D-Galp and alpha-D-GalpNAc at C-2 of glycerol. The majority of alpha-D-galactopyranosyl residues are substituted at OH-3 with a sulfate. The aforementioned teichoic acids have not been found in bacteria thus far. Actinocorallia herbida VKM Ac-1994^T contains poly(galactosylglycerol phosphate), with the beta-Galp-(1-->2)-Gro-P repeating units being linked via the phosphodiester bonds between the OH-3 of glycerol and OH-6 of galactose. Earlier, this structure was found in the cell wall of Actinomadura madura. The polymer structures were determined by chemical analysis and using ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy. The results show that teichoic acids are widespread in the order Actinomycetales.

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KEY WORDS: Planotetraspora, Herbidospora, Actinocorallia, cell wall, poly(glycerol phosphate), poly(glycosylglycerol phosphate), sulfate, NMR spectroscopy

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