Structure of the Cell Wall of Staphylococcus Aureus, Strain Copenhagen. II. Separation and Structure of Disaccharides

The disaccharides, β-1,6-N-acetylglucosamimyl-N-acetylmuramic acid and β-1,6-N-acetyl-glucosaminyl-N,4-O-diacetylmuramic acid, have been identified as products of hydrolysis of the cell wall of S. aureus by an acetylmuramidase and an amidase from Streptomyces albus G. N-acetylmuramic acid and N,4-O-diacetylmuramic acid were formed from these compounds after hydrolysis with a β-acetylglucosarninidase. The data obtained do not exclude the presence of a small percentage of disaccharides with other linkages, however. Several bases for the resistance of cell walls of S. aureus to hydrolysis by egg white lysozyme have been discussed.