Biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharides with different length of the O-specific region as a virulence factor of Gram-negative bacteria

• Main Authors: Eva Krzyżewska, Jacek Rybka
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Index Copernicus International S.A. 2018-07-01
• Series: Postępy Higieny i Medycyny Doświadczalnej
• Subjects: lipopolysaccharide; O antigen; chain regulation
• Online Access: http://phmd.pl/gicid/01.3001.0012.1735

The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria is a biological structure with a unique composition that significantly contributes to the survival of bacteria in the unfavorable conditions of the host organism. The lipopolysaccharide constitutes about 70% of the external part of the outer membrane. The LPS molecule is composed of three different parts: lipid A, core oligosaccharide and O antigen. Despite the O-specific antigen being one of the most intensely studied surface structures of bacterial polysaccharides, a number of questions regarding the mechanism of the O antigen biosynthesis and its transport to the cell surface are still unanswered. The paper describes the biosynthesis of the lipopolysaccharide molecule, with particular emphasis on the O-specific chain biosynthesis, the mechanism of lipopolysaccharide length regulation and the influence of the type of synthesized O-specific chains on bacterial survival in adverse host organisms.