Abstract
Summary
The pathogenizing action of 15 polysaccharides and of 11 simple sugar and oligosaccharides on Eberthella typhosa in the mouse has been described. High pathogenizing activity was shown by the following carbohydrates: levan, dextran, mucin, and agaragar. Moderate activity was shown by the following: cellulose preparations, gum acacia, glycogen and mannan. Inclusion of kaolin in the injected suspension enhanced the pathogenizing actionof this group. Levans from 2 bacterial sources Aerobacter levanicurn and Bacillus subtilis showed different degrees of pathogenizing activity. Levan synthesized in vitro by the action of cell-free Aerobactor enzyme showed marked pathogenizing activity. The pathogenizing activity must be, therefore, an intrinsic property of this levan.
It is suggested that the pathogenizing activity of a polysaccharide is a function of patterns which are specific to the colloidal state. The activity depends only in minor degree on the structure, configuration and manner of linkage of the individual repeating unit or on the presence of polar groupings in the carbohydrate polymer. There is no consistent relationship between the viscosity of the injected carbohydrate solution and the pathogenizing activity which it manifests.
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