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Endotoxins: Relationship Between Structure, Function, and Activity

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Endotoxins: Structure, Function and Recognition

Part of the book series: Subcellular Biochemistry ((SCBI,volume 53))

Abstract

Endotoxins as amphiphilic components of the outer layer of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria exert their immunostimulatory activity after release from bacterial cells. Thus, the characterization of the physicochemical properties of this glycolipid in physiological fluids is of utmost importance for an understanding of cell activation processes. Here, the essential physicochemical parameters describing endotoxins such as critical micellar concentration, acyl chain fluidity, intramolecular conformation, supramolecular structures, and size as well as morphology of the aggregates are discussed and assessed with respect to their importance for an understanding of the interaction mechanisms with immunorelevant cells. The reviewed data clearly indicate that knowledge of these parameters is essential for understanding the bioactivity of not only endotoxins, but also endotoxin-like amphiphiles.

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Abbreviations

LPS:

lipopolysaccharide

CMC:

critical micellar concentration

EM:

electron microscopy

SAXS:

small-angle X-ray scattering

LBP:

lipopolysaccharide-binding protein

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Acknowledgement

The authors are indebted to the German ministry BMBF (project: 01GU0824) and the DFG (project SCHR621/2-3), for financial support, and to Dr. Walter Richter (Universitätsklinikum Jena) for performing the freeze-fracture electron microscopy measurements.The authors would like to thank Prof. Ulrich Seydel, former head of the Division of Biophysics, for continous support and development of new concepts in the biophysics of endotoxins.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Biophysics and Division of Immunbiophysics, Forschungszentrum Borstel, Parkallee 10, D-23845, Borstel, Germany

    K. Brandenburg, A.B. Schromm & T. Gutsmann

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  1. K. Brandenburg
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  2. A.B. Schromm
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  3. T. Gutsmann
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Correspondence to K. Brandenburg .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Biochemistry, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China, People's Republic

    Xiaoyuan Wang

  2. European Southern Observatory (ESO), Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, Garching, 85748, Germany

    Peter J. Quinn

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Brandenburg, K., Schromm, A., Gutsmann, T. (2010). Endotoxins: Relationship Between Structure, Function, and Activity. In: Wang, X., Quinn, P. (eds) Endotoxins: Structure, Function and Recognition. Subcellular Biochemistry, vol 53. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9078-2_3

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