Abstract
Sialic acid occupies the terminal position within glycan molecules on the surfaces of many vertebrate cells, where it functions in diverse cellular processes such as intercellular adhesion and cell signalling. Pathogenic bacteria have evolved to use this molecule beneficially in at least two different ways: they can coat themselves in sialic acid, providing resistance to components of the host's innate immune response, or they can use it as a nutrient. Sialic acid itself is either synthesized de novo by these bacteria or scavenged directly from the host. In this mini-review we will summarize recent findings relating to sialic acid transport, modification of sialic acid by O-acetylation, and the mechanisms of sialic acid-mediated complement resistance.
Highlights
Sialic acid utilization by bacterial pathogensSialic acid occupies the terminal position within glycan molecules on the surfaces of many vertebrate cells, where it functions in diverse cellular processes such as intercellular adhesion and cell signalling
The surfaces of many cells, both prokaryotic and eukaryotic, are decorated with glycoconjugates that play important roles in a wide range of biological processes, including cell–cell and small molecule–cell recognition
While sialylated LPS and polysialic acid (PSA) capsules have obvious benefits to bacteria in particular host compartments, for example in evading the immune response as we describe below, their presence may not always be desirable when the organism is within other compartments either inside or outside the host
Summary
Sialic acid occupies the terminal position within glycan molecules on the surfaces of many vertebrate cells, where it functions in diverse cellular processes such as intercellular adhesion and cell signalling. Pathogenic bacteria have evolved to use this molecule beneficially in at least two different ways: they can coat themselves in sialic acid, providing resistance to components of the host’s innate immune response, or they can use it as a nutrient. Sialic acid itself is either synthesized de novo by these bacteria or scavenged directly from the host. In this mini-review we will summarize recent findings relating to sialic acid transport, modification of sialic acid by O-acetylation, and the mechanisms of sialic acid-mediated complement resistance
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