Higher aldulosonic acids: components of bacterial glycans

Recent data on the natural occurrence, chemistry, and biochemistry of C₈ and C₉ aldulosonic acids (3-deoxy-D-manno-oct-2-ulosonic acid, sialic acids, N-acyl derivatives of 5,7-diamino-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxynon-2-ulosonic acids, and some others) as well as on the structures and biological significance of bacterial glycans containing these higher acidic monosaccharides are summarized.