Occurrence, Synthesis and Biosynthesis of Bacterial Heptoses

Heptoses are important higher-carbon sugars occurring in numerous structural variations in several domains of the bacterial cell wall, which are briefly summarized. Recent approaches towards the chemical and chemo-enzymatic synthesis of these microbial monosaccharides will be summarized as well as progress made in the elucidation of two major biochemical pathways involving the synthesis of heptose phosphates and nucleotide-activated heptoses.