All gram negative microbes have a unique signature molecule - lipopolysaccharide - abundant in the outer leaflet of their outer membrane. What advantage does it provide to the organisms?
Conference Paper Nanovesicular signaling by Salmonella (3,10:r:-) for epithel...
LPS interferes with deposition and activation of the complement system, enabling bacteria to evade host's immune response. Also, lipid A activates macrophages that produce profuse amounts of proinflammatory cytokines damaging host's tissues, this also enables bacteria to evade the immune response.
The lipid A potion (the endotoxin part) of LPS is the signature outer membrane constituents of the outer leaflet of the Gram negative bacteria outer membrane, forms almost almost the entire outer leaflet. Many could come out the conclusion explaining why lipid A is an effective endotoxin. It is however, a very basic membrane infrastruture for Gram negative needed for survival, forming the permeable membrane only allowing the incoming and outgoing of selective compounds.
The core oligosaccharide and, in many cases the long chain O antigen is needed as a niche factor to establish effective colonization and pathogenesis, through evasion of host immunity, and sometimes assist to irritate the host.
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