They have either an aldehydefunctional group in position 1 (aldoheptoses) or a ketone functional group in position 2, 3 or 4 (ketoheptoses). Ketoheptoses have 4 chiral centers, whereas aldoheptoses have 5.
Examples
There are few examples of seven-carbon sugars in nature, among which are:
L-glycero-D-manno-heptose (an aldose), a late intermediate in lipid A biosynthesis.[4]
Structural role
The production of heptose is conserved across gram-negative bacteria. In the form of L-glycero-D-mannose-heptose, heptose is a key component in the secondary membrane of gram-negative bacteria. Gram-negative bacteria, in addition to having a cell wall, are also encapsulated by a membrane composed of lipopolysaccharides.[5] These lipopolysaccharides comprise an endotoxin that acts as an immune system agonist and elicits strong responses. This toxin, known as lipid A, consists of a core of one to three heptose molecules.[5] The 7-carbon heptose molecules are essential for stability in the lipopolysaccharide membrane, forming an interconnected network utilizing divalent cations.[5]
Role in cell signaling
Heptose, in the form of heptose 1-7-bisphosphate, has been found to be one of the components responsible for the pathogenic nature of gram negative bacteria. In the bacterium biosynthesis pathway, heptose is phosphorylated to heptose 1-7-bisphosphate. In addition, like other sugars, heptose may exist in either the alpha anomer or the beta anomer. Before synthetic production of heptose-bisphosphate (HBP) for studies, cytosolic HBP was thought to influence NF-kB, a transcription factor in mammalian cells.[5][6] Along with producing the first synthetic version of HBP, it was shown that the beta form of the heptose acts as a pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) and activates the NF-kB signaling pathway.[6] A PAMP is a specific structure, component, or molecule that triggers the immune response after recognition by pattern recognition receptors on mammalian cells.[5]
References
↑ Horecker, B. L; Smyrniotis, P. Z (1953). "Transaldolase: The Formation of Fructose-6-Phosphate from Sedoheptulose-7-Phosphate". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 75 (8): 2021. Bibcode:1953JAChS..75.2021H. doi:10.1021/ja01104a532.
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