Biological Activities of Synthetic Oligosaccharides and Glycolipids from Mycobacteria

Abstract

Glycolipids are essential components of mycobacterial cell envelopes. They are highly bioactive and involved in many aspects of virulence and persistence of mycobacteria. Many glycolipids have been isolated from mycobacterial surfaces. Some mycobacterial glycans and glycolipids, as well as their analogs, have been chemically synthesized. This report focuses on recent contributions in the synthesis of mycobacterial glycans and glycolipids to the study of their biological mechanisms and to the optimization of their activities, with highlights on the lipid and saccharide mimetics.