Cell walls functions

Kelly SD, Boyanov MI, Bunker BA, Fein JB, Fowle DA, Yee N, Kemner KM (2001) XAFS determination of the bacterial cell wall functional groups responsible for complexation of Cd and U as a function of pH. J Synchrotron Rad 8 946-948... 

The interaction of borates with carbohydrates and other polyhydroxy compounds, including perhaps proteins and glycoproteins, provides a basis for the biological role of boron. It has been shown that at least one essential role of boron in plants involves ester crosslinking of the complex carbohydrate rhamnogalactur-onan II (RG II) as part of an intricate control mechanism vital to the maintenance of proper plant cell wall function. ... 

Preston, R.D. (1979). Polysaccharide Conformation and Cell Wall Function . Annual Reviews of Plant Physiology, 30, 55-78. 

In the previous section we discussed wall functions, which are used to reduce the number of cells. However, we must be aware that this is an approximation that, if the flow near the boundary is important, can be rather crude. In many internal flows—where all boundaries are either walls, symmetry planes, inlets, or outlets—the boundary layer may not be that important, as the flow field is often pressure determined. However, when we are predicting heat transfer, it is generally not a good idea to use wall functions, because the convective heat transfer at the walls may be inaccurately predicted. The reason is that convective heat transfer is extremely sensitive to the near-wall flow and temperature field. 

McNeil, M., Darvill, A. G., Fry, S. C., and Albersheim, R, 1984. Structure and function of die primary cell walls of plants. Annual Review of Biochemistry 53 625-664. 

This insertion is accomplished by an enzyme called transpeptidase. -Lactam antibiotics function as substrates for the transpeptidase, thereby establishing selective inhibition of bacterial cell wall synthesis. The structural similarity between -lactam antibiotics and the alanylalanine unit is remarkable as can be seen in Figure 6.8. 

In contrast to macrolides, the targets of (3-lactams, the penicillin binding proteins (PBPs) require several mutations in order to become resistant while simultaneously maintaining their viable function as cell wall transpeptidases/transglycosidases. Thus, in order to achieve clinically relevant resistance Streptococcus pneumoniae uses a unique strategy to rapidly accumulate several point mutations. Due to its natural competence for transformation during respiratory tract... 

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