Provided herein include methods and compositions for synthesis of Lipid IV.sub.A and derivatives thereof, using a defined set of pathway enzyme, which may be isolated and used to reconstitute all or part of the pathway in a cell-free reaction.

Provided herein include methods and compositions for synthesis of Lipid IV.sub.A and derivatives thereof, using a defined set of pathway enzyme, which may be isolated and used to reconstitute all or part of the pathway in a cell-free reaction.