Bacterial capsular polysaccharide bioassembly systems can be considerably complex and difficult to characterize. Here we present the development of a number of new tools for the characterization of this pathway based on the chemoenzymatic synthesis of UV-light active bactoprenols. Utilizing the enzyme Undecaprenyl Pyrophosphate Synthase we have developed several analogues of bactoprenol that greatly simplify the characterization and isolation of polysaccharide precursors that allow for simple detection and characterization of a variety of the enzymes responsible for the assembly of these materials.

Tools to enhance polysaccharide biosynthesis and assembly pathway characterization

245th National Meeting (2013)

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