Lipopolysaccharides biosynthesis

In Figure 1, the structures of the Ra to Re lipopolysaccharides have been indicated. These incomplete lipopolysaccharides which are devoid of O chains and parts of the core are formed by R mutant strains which are defective in the synthesis of the O chain (Ra) or of the core (Rb-Re) (reviewed by Luderitz et al., 1982). Ra to Re lipopolysaccharides represent intermediates in lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis. They express distinct serological specificities since the respective terminal sugar units act as the main immunodeterminant. The different R lipopolysaccharides and the respective R mutants, therefore, can be differentiated by serological methods. 

Fig. 9. Lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis locus of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 strain RC1 (OLDA) (taken from Ref. 46 and modified16,44).

Schnaitman, C.A., Klena, J.D. Genetics of lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis in enteric bacteria. Microbiol Rev 57 (1993) 655-682. 

Luneberg, E., Zetzmann, N., Alber, D., Knirel, Y.A., Kooistra, O., Zahringer, U., Frosch, M. Cloning and functional characterization of a 30 kb gene locus required for lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis in Legionella pneumophila. Int J Med Microbiol 290 (2000) 37-49. 

Creuzenet, C., Lam, J.S. Topological and functional characterization of WbpM, an inner membrane UDP-GlcNAc C6-dehydratase essential for lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Mol Microbiol 41 (2001) 1295-1310. 

Dow, J.M., Osbourn, A.E., Wilson, T.J.G., Daniels, M.J. A locus determining pathogenicity of Xanthomonas-campestris is involved in lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis. Mol Plant-Microbe Interact 8 (1995) 768-777. 

Recently, an undefined surface migration, independent of flagella, was discovered in . coli and Vibrio [141]. This movement, at a speed of about 4 [xm/s, can be observed on 0.3% agarose but not on agar and is dependent on lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis. 

Reagent systems involving triphenylphosphine have been employed to activate primary hydroxyl groups for displacement with nitrogen nucleophiles. A H-labelled form (40) of an inhibitor of lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis has been synthesized from the 2-deoxy-j9-KD0 derivative (41), a redox sequence being used to introduce the H-label (Scheme 11). Hitsunobu conditions... 

In the synthesis of N-linked dipeptlde derivatives, e.g. (16), of 8-amino-2,6-anhydro-3,8-dideoxy-D-glycero-D-talo-octonic acid methyl ester (17), which are novel antibacterial agents which interfere with lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, the 8-amino function... 

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