Description

• General description: Lipoteichoic acid (LTA) is a linear polymer of phosphodiester-linked glycerol phosphate covalently bound to a lipid. The C2 position on the glycerol-phosphate is usually glycosylated or D-alanylated. LTA is amphipathic due to the presence of the negatively charged backbone of glycerol phosphate and the hydrophobic lipid. The lipid portion is bound hydrophobically to the cell membrane, whereas the polyglycerol phosphate portion extends into the cell wall.
• Application: Lipoteichoic acid from Staphylococcus aureus has been used:to investigate the binding properties of SpHyastatin to lipopolysaccharides and lipoteichoic acid using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)to measure the interleukin (IL-6) produced in splenocytes using a sandwich ELISAas a toll-like receptor 2/6 (TLR2/6) agonist to explore its potential to induce tumoricidal M1 macrophage phenotype
• Biochem/physiol Actions: Lipoteichoic acid (LTA) is a complex component of cell walls of Gram-positive bacteria that are involved in a wide range of cell processes such as the stimulation of immune responses and cell signaling pathways. LTA differs between species of gram-positive bacteria. Lipoteichoic acid from Streptococcus aureus may be used to compare its structure, immunogenicity and functions versus other bacterial LTAs.