Synthesis of the first fully active lipoteichoic acid

Nature outfoxed! Owing to the sensitivity of lipoteichoic acids (LTAs) to hydrolysis their biological activity could not be ascertained thus far. The chemical synthesis of LTA of Staphylococcus aureus 1, which contains hydrolytically labile D-alanine residues in the required ratio with other substituents, resulted in the same activity as exhibited by the natural product obtained by a new isolation procedure. Thus, the biological activity of LTA could be ascertained for the first time.