Merck + Co., Inc.

Jerry A Peik

Suzanna M Steenbergen

George T Veeder

Harold R Hayden

The new heteropolysaccharide S-657, prepared by fermentation of a new strain of Xanthomonas campestris, ATCC 53159, has valuable properties as a thickening, suspending and stabilizing agent in aqueous solutions and is especially valuable for use in well treating fluids. Heteropolysaccharide S-657 is composed principally of carbohydrate, about 12% protein and about 7% (calculated as O-acetyl) acyl groups, the carbohydrate portion containing about 19% glucuronic acid, and the neutral sugars rhamnose and glucose in the approximate molar ratio of 2:1.

Heteropolysaccharide S-657

A novel heteropolysaccharide S-184 is disclosed. The compound is a gum produced under suitable conditions by the novel microorganism Alcaligenes sp. This new heteropolysaccharide is composed primarily of carbohydrate as uronic acid (7% to 16%) and mannose, glucose, and galactose in the molar ratio of 1:3:5. The non-carbohydrate portion contains 12-16% protein and 3-4.5% acyl groups. The compound is used to alter viscosity and rheology of aqueous solutions.

Heteropolysaccharide S-184

A novel polysaccharide S-198 is disclosed composed of principally carbohydrate, 9-12% protein, and 2-4% O-acyl groups (calculated as O-acetyl). The carbohydrate portion comprises about 13-18% glucuronic acid and the neutral sugars mannose, glucose, and rhamnose in the approximate molar ratio 1:2:2. This polysaccharide is produced by a new Alcaligenes species ATCC 31853, in a suitable fermentation medium.

Heteropolysaccharide S-198

The new heteropolysaccharide S-139, prepared by fermentation of an unnamed Psuedomonas species, ATCC 31644 has valuable properties as a thickening, suspending and stabilizing agent in aqueous systems. Polysaccharide S-139 is principally composed of carbohydrate, protein (about 17%), and acyl groups (about 5% calculated as O-acetyl) as the glycosidically linked ester. The carbohydrate portion contains about 14% uronic acid (based on wt. gum) and the neutral sugars rhamnose, mannose, glucose, and galactose in the approximate molar ratio of 2.5:1:1.5:1 respectively.

Heteropolysaccharide S-139

A novel polysaccharide S-194 is disclosed composed of principally carbohydrate, about 14% protein, and 9-11% O-acetyl groups. The carbohydrate portion comprises about 8.8-9.2% glucuronic acid and the neutral sugars glucose and rhamnose in the approximate molar ratio 4:1. This polysaccharide is produced by a new Alcaligenes species ATCC 31961, in a suitable fermentation medium.

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San Diego, CA, United States of America

Jerry A Peik