Recent Results on the Biochemistry of the Cell Wall Lipopolysaccharides of Salmonella Bacteria

Lipopolysaccharides, which are located in the cell wall of gram‐negative bacteria, are characterized by their biological versatility. They represent the O antigens of the bacteria, they are potent endotoxins, and they often function as the receptor sites for bacteriophages. The study of the mode of action of lipopolysaccharides and the search for structures in the macromolecules that are responsible for biological activity became promising when principles of the chemical fine structure of lipopolysaccharides were identified. The following review summarizes the results of recent investigations regarding the structure of lipopolysaccharides, their biosynthesis and its genetic determination.