The cell-wall teichoic acids of Nocardiopsis dassonvillei IMRU 509T, IMRU 504 and IMRU 1250 and Nocardiopsis antarcticus VKM Ac-836T have the same unique structure that has not heretofore been found in bacteria. The polymer is built of 10 to 13 repeating units: -1snGro3-P-3-beta-D-GalNAc1-2snGro3-P-. The structure has been established by chemical analysis and with NMR spectroscopy. A study of the cell-wall monosaccharide composition, peptidoglycan, and cell phospholipids also provides evidence for the close similarity of these two species.