Polysaccharide lipid-dependent synthesis

An insertion mechanism for synthesis of cellulose. Using 14C "pulse and chase" labeling Han and Robyt found that new glucosyl units are added at the reducing ends of cellulose chains formed by cell membrane preparations from A. xylinum.135 This conclusion is in accord with the generalization that extracellular polysaccharides made by bacteria usually grow from the reducing end by an insertion mechanism that depends upon a polyprenyl alcohol present in the cell membrane.136 This lipid alcohol, often the C55... 

Insertion of monomer units at the base of a chain is a major mechanism of polymerization that is utilized for synthesis not only of polysaccharides but also of proteins (Chapter 29). For most carbohydrates the synthesis is dependent upon a polyprenyl lipid alcohol, hi bacteria this is often the 55-carbon undecaprenol or bactoprenol,136 which functions as a phosphate ester ... 

The outer surfaces of bacteria are rich in specialized polysaccharides. These are often synthesized while attached to lipid membrane anchors as indicated in a general way in Eq. 20-20.136/296a One of the specific biosynthetic cycles (Fig. 20-9) that depends upon undeca-prenol phosphate is the formation of the peptidoglycan (murein) layer (Fig. 8-29) of both gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial cell walls. Synthesis begins with attachment of L-alanine to the OH of the lactyl... 

Undecaprenol (bactoprenol) from Salmonella contains eleven isoprene units, and two irons and nine cis double bonds In the form of undecaprenyl phosphate, it acts as a carrier of carbohydrate residues in the biosynthesis of bacterial antigenic polysaccharides synthesis of Murein (see) also depends on undecaprenyl phosphate. In eukaryotes the Dolichol phosphates (see) function in the transfer of carbohydrate residues in the synthesis of glycoproteins and glycoli-pids. Probably the long lipid chains of these P serve to anchor them in membranes, while the phosphate group acts as a carrier by protruding into the cytoplasm. It is not known whether all P. function as carbohydrate carriers. The structural relationship between solanesol and plastoquinone-9 and ubiquinone-9, and the joint occurrence of these compounds suggest a precursor role for P. Biosynthesis of P. proceeds from mevalonic acid and the conformation of all double bonds is predetermined in early precursors. 

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