The identity of madurose with 3-O-methyl-d-galactose

Actinomadura scrupuli sp. nov., isolated from rock

A novel actinomycete, designated strain R-Ac121T, was isolated from a small stone collected from an agricultural field in Jeju, Republic of Korea. The organism formed abundant vegetative mycelium that was branched and twisted. The reverse colour of colonies was brownish-yellow. Non-motile, wrinkled arthrospores were produced directly on the substrate mycelium. Aerial mycelium and sporangia were not observed. A neighbour-joining tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the isolate formed a distinct clade within the radiation of the family Thermomonosporaceae. The highest 16S rRNA gene sequence identity was found with the type strain of Spirillospora rubra (97.3 % sequence similarity) followed by those of Actinoallomurus purpureus (97.0 %), Actinomadura alba (96.5 %), Actinomadura fibrosa (96.5 %) and Actinomadura echinospora (96.4 %). The cell wall contained meso-diaminopimelic acid. The whole-cell sugars were rhamnose, glucose, ribose, xylose and arabinose. The polar lipids included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylinositol. The major menaquinone was MK-9(H6) and the predominant fatty acids were iso-C16 : 0, C16 : 0, C17 : 1 ω8c and 10-methyl C17 : 0. The DNA G+C content was 71.8 mol%. The combination of morphological, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic data clearly supports the separation of the organism from recognized species of the genus Actinomadura and related genera. On the basis of the data presented here, strain R-Ac121T represents a novel species of the genus Actinomadura, for which the name Actinomadura scrupuli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is strain R-Ac121T (=KCTC 19488T =DSM 45225T).

Bioactive polysaccharides from the stems of the Thai medicinal plant Acanthus ebracteatus: their chemical and physical features

Crude water-soluble polysaccharides were isolated from Acanthus ebracteatus by hot water extraction followed by ethanol precipitation after pre-treatment with 80% ethanol. The crude polysaccharides were separated into neutral and acidic polysaccharides by anion-exchange chromatography. The neutral polysaccharide (A1001) was rich in galactose, 3-O-methylgalactose and arabinose, whereas the acidic polysaccharide (A1002) consisted mainly of galacturonic acid along with rhamnose, arabinose and galactose as minor components indicating a pectin-type polysaccharide with rhamnogalacturonan type I (RG-1) backbone. 3-O-Methylgalactose is also present in the acidic fraction. Both neutral and acidic fractions showed potent effects on the complement system using pectic polysaccharide PM II from Plantago major as a positive control. A small amount of 3-O-methylgalactose present in the pectin seemed to be of importance for activity enhancement in addition to the amount of neutral sugar side chains attached to RG-1. The relationship between chemical structure and effect on the complement system of the isolated polysaccharides is considered in the light of these data. The presence of the rare monosaccharide 3-O-methylgalactose may indicate that this can be used as a chemotaxonomic marker. The traditional way of using this plant as a medical remedy appears to have a scientific basis.

The medically important aerobic actinomycetes: epidemiology and microbiology

The aerobic actinomycetes are soil-inhabiting microorganisms that occur worldwide. In 1888, Nocard first recognized the pathogenic potential of this group of microorganisms. Since then, several aerobic actinomycetes have been a major source of interest for the commercial drug industry and have proved to be extremely useful microorganisms for producing novel antimicrobial agents. They have also been well known as potential veterinary pathogens affecting many different animal species. The medically important aerobic actinomycetes may cause significant morbidity and mortality, in particular in highly susceptible severely immunocompromised patients, including transplant recipients and patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus. However, the diagnosis of these infections may be difficult, and effective antimicrobial therapy may be complicated by antimicrobial resistance. The taxonomy of these microorganisms has been problematic. In recent revisions of their classification, new pathogenic species have been recognized. The development of additional and more reliable diagnostic tests and of a standardized method for antimicrobial susceptibility testing and the application of molecular techniques for the diagnosis and subtyping of these microorganisms are needed to better diagnose and treat infected patients and to identify effective control measures for these unusual pathogens. We review the epidemiology and microbiology of the major medically important aerobic actinomycetes.

Streptomyces species with madurose (3-O-methyl-D-galactose) as a whole-cell sugar

Madurose, an actinomycete whole-cell sugar, was found in the strains of the genus Streptomyces: three strains of S. platensis, one strain each of S. platensis subsp. malvinus, and S. albus subsp. albus. The sugar was isolated from the hydrolysate of S. platensis IFO 14008 cells, and was identified as madurose (3-O-methyl-D-galactose) by chromatographic analyses, 1H-NMR spectrometry, mass spectrometry as its alditol acetate, and demethylation with boron trichloride. Cell walls of the strain contained peptidoglycan and teichoic acids. LL-Diaminopimelic acid, glycine, glutamic acid, and alanine were present in the peptidoglycan fraction in molar ratios of 1.0:1.3:1.2:2.3. Madurose was detected in the teichoic acid fraction, which was composed of phosphorus, glycerol, galactose, and madurose in molar ratios of 9.3:8.5:2.9:1.0. Thus, madurose was found in the glycerol teichoic acid moiety of the cell walls of this strain.

3-O-Methyl galactose found in polysaccharides of Lampteromyces japonicus

A polysaccharide fraction from Lampteromyces japonicus contained a sugar (4%), which was identified as 3-O-methyl galactose by demethylation with boron trichloride, periodate oxidation of the methyl glycoside derivative and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of the alditol acetate derivative.

Polysaccharides of type 6 Klebsiella

Water-extractable type 6 Klebsiella antigens were separated into a type 6-specific acidic polysaccharide and a neutral polysaccharide. The neutral polymer was devoid of type 6 activity although it was serologically active. The type 6-specific polymer contained fucose, glucose, and mannose, and pyruvic, galacturonic, and possibly glucuronic acids. The neutral polymer contained glucose, galactose, and mannose.