dTDPsugars
dTDP-sugars, or deoxyribosylthymidine diphosphate sugars, are a class of activated carbohydrate precursors that play a crucial role in the biosynthesis of many important biomolecules. These molecules are essential for various biological processes, including the synthesis of cell wall components, antibiotics, and other secondary metabolites in microorganisms and plants. The "dTDP" portion of the name refers to the deoxyribosylthymidine diphosphate moiety, which serves as a carrier molecule, while the "sugar" indicates the specific carbohydrate that is activated.
The biosynthesis of dTDP-sugars involves a series of enzymatic reactions. Typically, a sugar phosphate is converted
The diversity of dTDP-sugars is vast, with different activated sugars such as dTDP-glucose, dTDP-rhamnose, and dTDP-N-acetylglucosamine