Lipopolysaccharides biosynthesis, lipid intermediates

One of the most impressive findings has been the discovery of lipid intermediates in the biosynthesis of polysaccharides (see Refs. 2 and 465.) At least two structurally different types of these compounds exist the intermediate may be an isoprenoid alcohol ester of the glycosyl pyrophosphate or the analogous derivative of the glycosyl phosphate. Derivatives of the first type are formed by reaction between the sugar nucleotide and the alcohol phosphate, for example, undecaprenyl phosphate (120), which participates in the biosynthesis of Salmonella lipopolysaccharide.466... 

Lipid intermediates were first detected in studies on the biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharide and of proteoglycan in bacteria. These intermediates turned out to be sugar derivatives of poly-isoprenoid alcohols. A series of these compounds has been isolated from various organisms. Their general formula is shown as follows ... 

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