[Structure of lipopolysaccharides from gram-negative bacteria. II. Core structure (Review)]

The review summarizes the data on the core structure of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) which represents an oligosaccharide binding the lipid moiety of the macromolecule to the O-antigenic polysaccharide chain. Both S-strains with complete LPS and R-mutants having various defects of the core biosynthesis are considered. The role of the core in the outer membrane functioning and manifestation of antigenic specificity of LPS is discussed.