Structural analysis of the lipoteichoic acids isolated from bovine mastitis Streptococcus uberis 233, Streptococcus dysgalactiae 2023 and Streptococcus agalactiae 0250

Lipoteichoic acid (LTA) is an amphiphilic polycondensate located in the cell envelope of Gram-positive bacteria. In this study, LTAs were isolated from the three bovine mastitis species Streptococcus uberis 233, Streptococcus dysgalactiae 2023, and Streptococcus agalactiae 0250. Structural investigations of these LTAs were performed applying 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance experiments as well as chemical analyses and mass spectrometry. Compositional analysis revealed the presence of glycerol (Gro), Glc, alanine (Ala), and 16:0, 16:1, 18:0, 18:1. The LTAs of the three Streptococcus strains possessed the same structure, that is, a lipid anchor comprised of α-Glcp-(1→2)-α-Glcp-(1→3)-1,2-diacyl-sn-Gro and the hydrophilic backbone consisting of poly(sn-Gro-1-phosphate) randomly substituted at O-2 of Gro by d-Ala.