An immense range of polysaccharide structures is expressed on the bacterial surface. The length of the polymer can be a crucial attribute for virulence. Members of a family of 'polysaccharide copolymerase' proteins are essential for the regulation of polymer chain length, participating in one widespread biosynthesis scheme.
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Whitfield, C., Larue, K. Stop and go: regulation of chain length in the biosynthesis of bacterial polysaccharides. Nat Struct Mol Biol 15, 121–123 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nsmb0208-121
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nsmb0208-121
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