1932

Abstract

Mycobacteria, members of which cause tuberculosis and leprosy, produce cell walls of unusually low permeability, which contribute to their resistance to therapeutic agents. Their cell walls contain large amounts of C-C fatty acids, mycolic acids, that are covalently linked to arabinogalactan. Recent studies clarified the unusual structures of arabinogalactan as well as of extractable cell wall lipids, such as trehalose-based lipooligosaccharides, phenolic glycolipids, and glycopeptidolipids. Most of the hydrocarbon chains of these lipids assemble to produce an asymmetric bilayer of exceptional thickness. Structural considerations suggest that the fluidity is exceptionally low in the innermost part of bilayer, gradually increasing toward the outer surface. Differences in mycolic acid structure may affect the fluidity and permeability of the bilayer, and may explain the different sensitivity levels of various mycobacterial species to lipophilic inhibitors. Hydrophilic nutrients and inhibitors, in contrast, traverse the cell wall presumably through channels of recently discovered porins.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1146/annurev.bi.64.070195.000333
1995-07-01
2024-12-06
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/content/journals/10.1146/annurev.bi.64.070195.000333
Loading
  • Article Type: Review Article
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error