SECRETION OF FRAGMENTS FROM BACTERIAL CELL WALL PEPTIDOGLYCAN

Publisher Summary Peptidoglycan is a characteristic component of the cell wall of nearly all eubacteria. Not only is it responsible for the rigidity and osmostability of the cell wall, and represents the target of penicillin but also shows a series of striking biological activities. This chapter discusses a sensitive radioimmunological technique for measuring the secretion of unlabeled peptidoglycan fragments into the culture filtrate. It discusses the secretion of peptidoglycan under sublethal concentrations of penicillin. Loss of peptidoglycan to the surrounding medium has both physiological and medical implications. Cell-wall growth and cell division may be accompanied by peptidoglycan secretion. Released cell-wall fragments may influence the resistance to bacterial infections.