Saccharolipids

thumb|200px|Structure of a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)

lipid component of lipopolysaccharide endotoxins of gram-negative bacteria

thumb|250px|Chemical structure of lipid A as found in E. coli Saccharolipids are chemical compounds containing fatty acids linked directly to a sugar backbone, forming structures that are compatible with membrane bilayers. In the saccharolipids, a monosaccharide substitutes for the glycerol backbone present in glycerolipids and glycerophospholipids. The most familiar saccharolipids are the acylated glucosamine precursors of the lipid A component of the lipopolysaccharides in Gram-negative bacteria. Typical lipid A molecules are disaccharides of glucosamine, which are derivatized with as many a