Pathways and Principles of the Biosynthesis of Methanobacterial Cell Wall Polymers

Summary The methanobacterial cell envelope polymers exhibit some structural and chemical similarities with cell wall components of the bacteria and eucarya. Therefore, common biosynthetic principles involved in the cell wall polymers may occur in methanogens and organisms of the other domains. In order to prove this possibility we have investigated the biosynthesis of three different methanobacterial cell wall polymers: a peptidoglycan (pseudomurein), a heteropolysaccharide (methanochondroitin) and a glycoprotein (S-layer). Based on isolated intermediates biosynthetic pathways for these polymers are proposed and differences with well known biosynthetic routes of chemically comparable cell wall polymers of other organisms are discussed.

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