Mycobacterial arabinan biosynthesis: The use of synthetic arabinoside acceptors in the development of an arabinosyl transfer assay

Abstract

Information on the biosynthesis of the D-arabinans of the cell wall of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is rapidly emerging, with the promise of new targets for drug development against tuberculosis. Accordingly, arabinosyl transferase assays were developed utilizing synthesized [1-14C]-β-D- arabinofuranosyl-1-monophosphoryldecaprenol as donor and a variety of O- and S-alkyl arabinosides as acceptors. These were: α-D-Araf-(1→5)-α-D-Araf-O- and -S-alkyl diarabinosides and α-D-Araf-(1→5)-α-D-Araf-(1→5)-α-D- Araf-O- and -S-alkyl triarabinosides. Whereas the O- and S-alkyl monosaccharide acceptors were inactive, the O- and S-alkyl disaccharide and the O- and S-alkyl trisaccharide acceptors (