Bacterial polysaccharides: conformation, dynamics and molecular recognition by antibodies

Bacterial infections are the cause of different severe health conditions and new therapies to combat these pathogens have been widely investigated. Carbohydrates, being complex structures covering the surface of bacteria, are considered relevant targets for antibody and vaccine development. The biological activities in pathogenesis of bacterial capsular polysaccharides and lipopolisaccharides and their unique structures have boosted the study of the minimal antigenic binding epitopes and the structural details of antibody–carbohydrate recognition. This review describes the most recent advances on the field, examining the structure, conformation and dynamics of relevant bacterial carbohydrates and their complexes with antibodies. The understanding of key factors governing the recognition process is fundamental for the progress toward the development of specific and efficient bacterial therapeutics.