The Biosynthesis by Pneumococcus of a Non-Reducing Disaccharide from Uridine Diphosphoglucose

Abstract

SUMMARYA particulate enzyme fraction from type VIII Pneumococcus obtained by centrifugation of disrupted organisms between 30,000 and 140,OOOg synthesized a non-reducing disaccharide from uridine diphosphoglucose (UDPG). The structure proposed for the material synthesized is glucopyranosyl-glucopyranoside, in which at least one of the linkages is of the p configuration. The reaction may be formulated as: UDPG+UDPG+ glucopyranosyl-glucopyranoside. The reaction was not type-specific and was also found with particulate fractions from pneumococci of types I1 and 111.