Lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis and transport to the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria

P Sperandeo, AM Martorana, A Polissi - Bacterial cell walls and …, 2019 - Springer
Bacterial cell walls and membranes, 2019Springer
Gram-negative bacteria have an outer membrane that is positioned at the frontline of the
cell's interaction with the environment and that serves as a barrier against noxious
molecules including many antibiotics. This protective function mainly relies on
lipopolysaccharide, a complex glycolipid located in the outer leaflet of the outer membrane.
In this chapter we will first summarize lipopolysaccharide structure, functions and
biosynthetic pathway and then we will discuss how it is transported and assembled to the …
Abstract
Gram-negative bacteria have an outer membrane that is positioned at the frontline of the cell’s interaction with the environment and that serves as a barrier against noxious molecules including many antibiotics. This protective function mainly relies on lipopolysaccharide, a complex glycolipid located in the outer leaflet of the outer membrane. In this chapter we will first summarize lipopolysaccharide structure, functions and biosynthetic pathway and then we will discuss how it is transported and assembled to the cell surface. This is a remarkably complex process, as amphipathic lipopolysaccharide molecules must traverse three different cellular compartments to reach their final destination.
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