Research Products

RESEARCH PRODUCTS

Diagnostig is in the unique position of offering fully synthetic mycolic acids from all the common classes present in Mycobacteria as well as simpler analogues. In addition we can supply a range of their sugar esters including trehalose dimycolates (TDM), monomycolates (TMM), glucose (GMM) and arabinose mycolates, and glycerol mycolates.

Our core technology is in producing fully synthetic mycolic acids and their sugar esters. These acids and sugar esters (sometimes called cord factors) are unique to mycobacteria and some related organisms. They are responsible for many of the properties mycobacteria display.

The mycolic acids are available in various stereochemical configurations, both with and without sugars attached, additional information below.

Usage

These compounds are available as research only materials. However commercial opportunities could be available using the Company’s IP under licence.

MYCOLIC ACIDSThe major mycolic acids of mycobacteria

Mycolic acids have the general structure shown below:
https://www.diagnostig.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/general_structure.png
They are present in mycobacterial cells as complex mixtures with different chain lengths and groups X and Y. These mixtures form a fingerprint by which many mycobacteria can be characterised.
In Mycobacterium tuberculosis, there are three main classes of mycolic acid present, so called alpha-, keto- and methoxy, with both cis- and trans-cyclopropanes at the proximal position.
https://www.diagnostig.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/alpha_acid.png
https://www.diagnostig.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/keto_acid.png
https://www.diagnostig.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/cismethoxy_acid.png
https://www.diagnostig.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/transmethoxy_acid.png
Mycobacterium avium cells contain ‘wax esters’ instead of methoxy-mycolic acids. Other mycobacteria are characterised by simpler mycolic acids containing cis- and trans-alkenes.
https://www.diagnostig.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/wax_ester.png
https://www.diagnostig.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/cis_alkene.png
https://www.diagnostig.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/ciscis_diene.png
https://www.diagnostig.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/cistrans_diene.png

SUGAR ESTERSAvailable Sugar Esters

Natural extracts feature many different sugar groups as very complex mixtures

We are able to provide trehalose dimycolates with either identical or specific different mycolic acids attached.

Using fully synthetic compounds we are able to control which sugars are attached.

Available sugar esters:

  • Trehalose, as both mono- (TMM) and di-esters (TDM) of mycolic acids and wax esters
  • Arabinose, as both mono- and tri-arabinose mycolates
  • Arabino glycerols, as D or L mono-mycolates
  • Di-arabino glycerol mycolates
  • Glucose mono- mycolates
  • Glycerol, as D or L mono-mycolates (GMM)