... proteins that normally catalyze the synthesis in R sphaeroides of b-1,2; a-1,6 cyclic glucans comprised of 18 glucose residues can catalyze the synthesis in E coli of b-1,2; b-1,6 linear glucans comprised ... these genes, opgGIH, necessary for OPG backbone synthesis and of a new gene, opgC, necessary for OPG succinylation MATERIALS AND METHODS Bacterial strains and media The bacterial strains and plasmids ... (named opgG and opgH) are very similar to the genes mdoG and mdoH of E coli (Fig 3) In this organism, mdoG and mdoH form an operon under osmotic control that governs the synthesis of linear OPGs...