Cell wall bacterial, teichoic acids

Baddiley, J. (1989). Bacterial cell walls and membranes. Discovery of the teichoic acids, Bioessays, 10, 207-210. 

Teichoic acids consist of polyolphosphate homopolymers to which sugars and amino acids are attached they are found in bacterial cell walls. There are two common types, in which glycerol phosphate and ribitol phosphate, respectively, constitute the repeating units. These are transferred to the appropriate primer through the corresponding nucleotide derivative, CDP-glycerol or CDP-ribitol. 

PhOSphat6S. Pol5meric phosphates are used for the preparation of flame-retardant polymers, ion-exchange resins, and models for natural biopolymers such as nucleic acids, teichoic acids (components of bacterial cell walls) (121), and polynucleotides, which are discussed in a separate article. Synthetic poly(l,3-alkylene phosphates) as mimics of the natural teichoic acids have been studied, particularly in respect to Mg + binding and ion transport (122). 

Teichoic Acids.—Recent reviews have referred to the occurrence and functions of membrane teichoic acids, the biosynthesis of bacterial cell walls and of teichoic acids in bacterial cell walls and membranes, and the surface carbohydrates of prokaryotic cells. ... 

The chemistry and biochemistry of the linkage units between teichoic acid and peptidoglycan in bacterial cell walls have been reviewed. Changes in the cell walls of mutants of Bacillus subtilis induced by temperature have been reflected in the production of different proportions of teichoic acid to peptidoglycan. ... 

Coley, J., Tarelli, E., Archibald, A.R. and Baddiley, J. The Linkage Between Teichoic Acid and Peptidoglycan in Bacterial Cell Walls , FEBS Letters (1918), 88, 1-9... 

In addition to their role as components of nucleoproteins, purines and pyrimidines are vital to the proper functioning of the cell. The bases are constituents of various coenzymes, such as coenzyme A (CoA), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), guanosine triphosphate (GTP), cytidine triphosphate (CTP), diphosphopyridine nucleotide (DPN), triphosphopyridine nucleotide (TPN), and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). A pyrimidine derivative, cytidine diphosphate choline, is involved in phospholipid synthe another pyrimidine compound, uridine diphosphate glucose, is an important substance in carbohydrate metabolism. Cytidine diphosphate ribitol functions in the biosynthesis of a new group of bacterial cell-wall components, the teichoic acids. While mammals excrete nitrogen derived from protein catabolism in the form of urea, birds eliminate their nitrogen by synthesizing it into the purine compound, uric acid. 

The function of the teichoic acids in the bacterial cell wall has not been definitely determined. Shortly after their discovery in the late 1950s, it was suggested that they function in the control of the concentration of cations in the cell wall. There was some evidence that they played a role in the balance of divalent cations in membranes and thereby provided membrane integrity and stability to the enzymes in the membrane and cell wall [203]. 

E. Bacterial Cell Wall Peptidoglycans, Teichoic Acids, and Lipo-... 

Glaser and Burger, using membrane preparations of several bacterial species and various nucleotide precursors, prepared in vitro a few kinds of teichoic acids which were identical with samples extracted from the cell walls of the studied strains. The following TA chain precursors were used cytidine diphosphate glycerol (CDP-... 

A variety of glycans with important stmctural and functional roles are produced as part of bacteria cell walls. Capsular polysaccharides (CPS), teichoic acids, and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are the three most important and represent the bacterial first line of defense against complement and bacteriophages. The carbohydrate portion of this glycoconjugate contains the major antigenic determinants that distinguish various serotypes of bacteria [1]. 

The cell wall of staphylococci is composed essentially of peptidoglycan and teichoic acids. Substances of high molecular weight can traverse the wall, a ready explanation for the sensitivity of these organisms to most biocides. However, the plasticity of the bacterial cell envelope is well known and the... 

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