A glycan shield for bacterial sphingolipids

Chem Biol. 2008 Jul 21;15(7):642-4. doi: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2008.07.001.

Abstract

In this issue of Chemistry & Biology, Kinjo et al. (2008) propose that the addition of oligosaccharides to the core outer membrane glycosphingolipid in Sphingomonas spp. may be an adaptation that allows bacteria to evade recognition by Natural Killer T cells, thus suggesting a remarkable process of host/pathogen coevolution.

Publication types

  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Killer Cells, Natural / cytology
  • Mice
  • Models, Biological
  • Models, Chemical
  • Monosaccharides / chemistry
  • Polysaccharides / chemistry*
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / metabolism
  • Sphingolipids / chemistry*
  • Sphingolipids / metabolism
  • Sphingomonas / metabolism
  • Surface Properties
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • Yersinia pestis / metabolism

Substances

  • Monosaccharides
  • Polysaccharides
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
  • Sphingolipids