Some mycobacterial strains produce polymethylated glycans (PMPs) that form high affinity complexes with lipids.  The function of these compounds remains unclear, but they have been suggested to play a role in the regulation of lipid biosynthetic pathways in organisms that produce them.  Two classes of PMPs have been identified to date, those composed of 3-O-methyl-mannopyranose (methylmannose polysaccharides, MMPs) and those containing 6-O-methyl-glucopyranose (methylglucose polysaccharides, MGPs).  In this lecture recent work on the synthesis of MMPs will be presented, as will our efforts to identify the genes involved in their assembly.  The binding of these compounds to lipids, in particular the hydrophobic toxic components present in oil sands process water, will be discussed.

Amphiphilic mycobacterial glycans: Synthesis, biosynthesis, and lipid-binding properties

245th National Meeting (2013)

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