Bacterial Cell Surfaces

Bacterial Cell Surface Techniques is the first complete practical text on the chemistry and immunochemistry of bacterial cell walls. It provides details of methods available for the preparation of cell walls and their components. All the sections are written by researchers with first-hand practical experience of the techniques. The book concentrates on techniques that are available to most laboratories and provides complete information for workers new to the field, while at the same time serving as a valuable reference work for those already engaged in cell-surface research.

It is a common statement that because of its simplicity the bacterial cell makes an ideal model for the study of a wide variety of biological systems and phenomena. While no-one would dispute that much of our under standing of biological function derives from the study of the humble bacterium, the concept of a simple life-form would be hotly disputed by any scientist engaged in the determination of the relationship between structure and function within the bacterial cell. Bacteria are particularly amenable to intensive study; their physiology can be probed with powerful biochemical, genetical and immunological techniques. Each piece of information obtained inevitably raises as many questions as answers, and can lead to a highly confused picture being presented to the lay reader. Nowhere is this more evident than in the study of the surface layers of the bacterial cell. Examination of the early electron micrographs suggested that the bacterial cytoplasm was surrounded by some sort of semi-rigid layer, possessing sufficient intrinsic strength to protect the organism from osmotic lysis. The belief that the surface layers were rather passive led to their neglect, while researchers concentrated on the superficially more exciting cytoplasmic components. Over the last twenty years our view of the bacterial envelope has undergone extensive revision, revealing a structure of enormous complexity.

Crystalline surface layers (S-layers) represent an almost universal feature of archaebacterial cell envelopes and can be found in gram-positive and gram-negative eubacterial species from nearly all phylogenetic branches. S-layers consist of a single protein- or glycoprotein species and thus can be considered as one of the most primitive membrane structures developed during evolution. Prokaryotes carrying S-layers are ubiquitously found in every part of the biosphere. This supports the concept of a general supramolecular "porous crystalline surface layer" fulfilling a broad spectrum of functions which are strongly dependent on the particular environmental and ecological conditions. Their structural simplicity makes S-layers a suitable model for analyzing structure-function relationships as well as dynamic aspects of membrane morphogenesis.

Crystalline Bacterial Cell Surface Proteins assembles information on the understanding of the occurrence, structure, chemistry, genetics, assembly, function, and application potential of S-layers. The chapters are designed to stand independent of each other and provide a complete survey of the different topics in S-layer research. This book is intended to stimulate further development in basic and applied S-layer research. Assembles present-day understanding of S-layers Provides a detailed survey of the entire field of basic and applied S-layer research Potential for broad application in biotechnology, vaccine development, diagnostics, molecular nanotechnology, and biomimetics

The bacterial cell wall plays an important role in the interaction between bacteria and their environment. Thus, knowledge of the cell wall structure helps us to understand the biological properties. This volume presents a comprehensive description of all main cell wall components of both gram-negative and -positive bacteria (including mycobacteria) and archaea. Surface components outside of the cell wall, i.e. capsules, S-layers, and appendices (flagellae, fimbriae, pili), are discussed and the genetic background of their chemical structures is elucidated. On the basis of the structural background, the biological properties are explained. Methodological topics are also presented and critically discussed.