Pathogenicity, polysaccharide structure role

This review has attempted to summarise some aspects of what is known about the structure and biosynthesis of bacterial biofilm components, their role in the pathogenetic process of biomaterial-related infection and possible future applications of this knowledge. As is evident, much more research is needed before we can achieve effective prevention and treatment of biofilm-related infection, which is a major goal in light of the millions of patients affected in the developed world. Most excitingly, if these approaches related to PIA/PNAG polysaccharides are successful, they may also lead to solutions of infection problems with some of the most important human pathogens in hospital as well as the community like S. aureus and E. coli. 

Several Gram-negative bacteria express smooth lipopolysaccharide (LPS) which consists of repeating saccharide units beyond the core saccharide each repeat is called an O-unit that usually comprises two to six sugars and the entire structure made up of repeating units is called the 0-antigen. In addition, several of these pathogens express capsular polysaccharide which also plays a key role in virulence. 

---