PROKARYOTIC METABOLISM AND PHYSIOLOGY

acid has some physiological functions. Because of the phosphate in teichoic acids, Figure 2.10 Structure of teichoic acid.
the surface of Gram-positive bacteria is negatively charged, attracting cations such (Microbial. Bia Rev. 63:174-229, 1999)
as Mg2+ which stabilize cell wall structure. An autolytic enzyme is necessary to Teichoic acid is a polymer of ribitol phosphate or glycerol phosphate. In some Gram-
positive bacteria, the poly-alcohols are bonded with alanine, galactose and N-
hydrolyse peptidoglycan at the growing tips to enable cell growth. This enzyme is
azetylglucosamine. Linkage units link teichoic acid to peptidoglycan.
attached to teichoic acid, ensuring it is not released into the medium and enabling
control of activity. Teichoic acid is also a receptor for certain phages. Gram positive - Lipoteichoic acid has a similar structure to teichoic acid. A diacylglycerol-
bacteria synthesize teichuronic acid in place of teichoic acid under phosphate-limited containing sugar is attached to the terminal polyalcohol phosphate. This lipid part
conditions, suggesting that this cell wall constituent is essential. It has been found of lipoteichoic acid is embedded in the cytoplasmic membrane, while the polyalcohol
that teichoic acid is dispensable in Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aure-us, but not phosphate partly constitutes the cell wall_
lipoteichoic acid. The Gram-positive bacterial cell wall contains various proteins, including the
autolytic enzymes mentioned above. They are attached to the cell wall through the
action of an enzyme called sortase (Section 6.9.2.4) after they are excreted through
R - 0 -
9 N R-
the cytoplasmic membrane. Their functions include (1) metabolism of cell surface
0-1C11
R-0-
structures, (2) invasion into the host, (3) hydrolysis of polymers such as proteins and
2-3
04 rL
polysaccharides and (4) adhesion to solid surfaces.
Td.chokAr44 Liala trio regalush
Members of the family Mycopiasmatacetze and the class Chlargydice are obligate
1,-Hpfp
11.8■121 intracellular pathogens of humans and other animals and do not have cell wall
Dab structures. However, the genome of Chlamydiae includes a complete set of genes for
O
the synthesis of peptidoglycan. They are also susceptible to antibiotics such as 0-
n .11 RICE.

lactams and D-cycloserine, which inhibit peptidoglycan synthesis. This is because

—

7,214t Pepilortr
an intermediate of peptidoglycan biosynthesis, bactoprenyl P N acetylmuramate N-
- - - -

acetylglucosarnine (lipid II, Section 6.9.2.2) is essential for the formation of the
multiprotein machinery responsible for cell division, the divisorne complex. Cell
01 F division and cell wall biosynthesis in all prokaryotes are driven by partially
-0-
overlapping multiprotein machineries whose activities are tightly controlled and
hewl
Teichoic L ristkikellr