CARB 11 |
| Mycobacterial diseases, such as tuberculosis and AIDS-associated Mycobacterium avium infections, are reemerging as worldwide health concerns, and their resurgence is providing significant motivation for the development of new anti-mycobacterial agents. A key structural component of the mycobacterial cell wall is arabinogalactan (AG), a polysaccharide composed almost exclusively of galactofuranose and arabinofuranose moieties. Another important cell wall polysaccharide is lipoarabinomannan (LAM), a major mycobacterial antigen, which is composed of arabinofuranose and mannopyranose residues. The enzymes that synthesize both polysaccharides are attractive drug targets, but much fundamental work on their biosynthesis and function much be carried out first. In this seminar, recent synthetic studies on various constituents of these cell wall polysaccharides will be presented as will investigations on the use of these compounds in understanding the biosynthesis and function of both AG and LAM. |
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Wolfrom/Isbell/New Investigator Award Symposium
1:30 PM-5:15 PM, Sunday, August 19, 2007 BCEC -- 162B, Oral
Division of Carbohydrate Chemistry |