Lipopolysaccharides

Ilkka M Helander, VTT Biotechnology and Food Research, Finland
Uwe Mamat, Center for Medicine and Biosciences, Borstel, Germany
Ernst Th. Rietschel, Center for Medicine and Biosciences, Borstel, Germany

Published online: April 2001

DOI: 10.1038/npg.els.0000703

Lipopolysaccharides are structural components of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. They are important antigens and exhibit versatile biological (endotoxic) activities through stimulation of mammalian cells to produce active mediators.

Keywords: lipopolysaccharide; Gram-negative bacteria; lipid A; endotoxin

Figure 1. The cell envelope of a Gram-negative bacterium.
Figure 2. Schematic structure of a Salmonella enterica LPS.
Figure 3. Chemical structure of Escherichia coli lipid A.
Figure 4. The lipid A biosynthesis pathway.
Figure 5. Recognition of LPS/lipid A by the LBP/CD14 system triggering macrophage-derived bioactive mediators and the action of mediators. LBP, LPS-binding protein; IFN, interferon.
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 Further Reading
    Baumgartner JD and Glauser MP (1993) Immunotherapy of endotoxaemia and septicaemia. Immunobiology 187: 464–477.
    Greisman SE and Johnston CA (1997) Evidence against the hypothesis that antibodies to the inner core of lipopolysaccharides in antisera raised by immunization with enterobacterial deep-rough mutants confer broad spectrum protection during Gram-negative bacterial sepsis. Journal of Endotoxicological Research 4: 123–153.
    book Holst O and Brade H (1992) "Chemical structure of the core region of lipopolysaccharides". In: Morrison DC and Ryan JL (eds) Bacterial Endotoxic Lipopolysaccharides, vol. I, Molecular Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, pp. 135–170. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
    book Kusumoto S (1992) "Chemical synthesis of lipid A". In: Morrison DC and Ryan JL (eds) Bacterial Endotoxic Lipopolysaccharides, vol. I, Molecular Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, pp. 81–106. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
    Lüderitz O, Freudenberg MA, Galanos C et al. (1982) Lipopolysaccharides of Gram-negative bacteria. Current Topics in Membranes and Transport, 17: 79–151.
    Lynn WA and Golenbock DT (1992) Lipopolysaccharide antagonists. Immunology Today 13: 271–276.
    book Mamat U, Seydel U, Grimmecke HD and Rietschel ETh (1999) "Lipopolysaccharides". In: Pinto BM (ed) Comprehensive Natural Products Chemistry, vol. 3, Carbohydrates and their Derivatives including Tannins, Cellulose and Related Lignins. Oxford: Pergamon Press. (In press.)
    Morrison DC and Ryan JL (1979) Bacterial endotoxins and host immune responses. Advances in Immunology 28: 293–450.
    Reitschel ETh and Brade H (1992) Bacterial endotoxins. Scientific American 267: 26–33.
    Rietschel ETh, Brade H, Holst O et al. (1996) Bacterial endotoxin: chemical constitution, biological recognition, host response and immunological detoxification. Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology 216: 39–81.
    Ulevitch RJ and Tobias PS (1994) Recognition of endotoxin by cells leading to transmembrane signalling. Current Opinion in Immunology 6: 125–130.
    Wright SD (1991) Multiple receptors for endotoxin. Current Opinion in Immunology 3: 83–90.
    Zähringer U, Lindner B and Rietschel ETh (1994) Molecular structure of lipid A, the endotoxic center of bacterial lipopolysaccharide. Advances in Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biochemistry 50: 211–276.

Related Sub-Topics:

Other Biomolecules: Structure, Function, Metabolism | Lipids: Structure, Function, Metabolism | Composition and Structure of Microbial Cells | Biosynthesis
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Article Title: Lipopolysaccharides
 
How to Cite close
Helander, Ilkka M, Mamat, Uwe, and Rietschel, Ernst Th.(Apr 2001) Lipopolysaccharides. In: eLS. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester. http://www.els.net [doi: 10.1038/npg.els.0000703]