title: Polysialic acid: three-dimensional structure, biosynthesis and function.
abstract: Polysialic acid is a unique cell surface polysaccharide found in the capsule of neuroinvasive bacteria and as a highly regulated post-translational modification of the neural cell adhesion molecule. Recent progress has been achieved in research on both the physicochemical properties of polysialic acid and the biosynthetic pathways leading to polysialic acid expression in bacteria and mammals.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mühlenhoff
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eckhardt
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gerardy-Schahn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012794:Sialic Acids; C021319:polysialic acid