96
P. W. KENT
polyglycerol phosphate carrying D-alanine and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine
as side groups attached at position 2 of the glycerol residues (25). Although residues occur in pairs and an amino-sugar residue on every third
glycerol residue, titration, phosphatase action, and periodate oxidation
indicate that these chains are composed of about 18 units (Fig. 3).
CH 3
CH-NHj,
CO
ι
Ο
OH
I
CHa- ΟΡΟ· H 2 CO
OR
OH
I
-CHj,- OPOH 2 CΟ
CH 3
CH-NHg
CO
I
ο
CH 2 0? H
POH 2 CII
ο
FIG. 3. Teichoic acids from Lactobacillus arabinosus (intracellular, R = a-Dglucosyl) and Staphylococcus albus (wall, R = α-D-N-acetylgalactosaminyl).
These cell wall constituents [reviewed by Baddiley (26)] occur
intracellularly also and do not seem to be associated with mucopeptide.
The complex structures of the teichoic acids contrast sharply with the
relatively simple structure of chitin and points to the distinctive elaboration of microbial biosynthetic functions.
Mention must also be made of muramic acid (3-O-a-carbethoxy-Dglucosamine) an amino sugar detectable in hydrolyzates of the cell walls
of many strains of bacteria (27, 28) [Corynebacterium,
Lactobacillus,
Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and other gram-positive organisms (29,
CHaOH
Η- OH
NHCOCH,
COOH
FIG. 4. Muramic acid.
30)]. It has been found also in the cell walls of Micrococcus lysodeikticus
as well as in the spore peptides of Bacillus megatherium (31). Its presence is not confined to the gram-positive group; it has been detected in
gram-negative E. coli. Muramic acid (Fig. 4) is not known to function
as a structural unit in polysaccharides, nevertheless it is clearly intimately connected with the cell walls of many, if not all, bacteria.
B. IN PLANTS
Fungal chitin, first recognized
substance under the name "fungine,
(32) in 1811 as an alkali-resistant
' appears to be confined to fungi and
P. W. KENT
polyglycerol phosphate carrying D-alanine and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine
as side groups attached at position 2 of the glycerol residues (25). Although residues occur in pairs and an amino-sugar residue on every third
glycerol residue, titration, phosphatase action, and periodate oxidation
indicate that these chains are composed of about 18 units (Fig. 3).
CH 3
CH-NHj,
CO
ι
Ο
OH
I
CHa- ΟΡΟ· H 2 CO
OR
OH
I
-CHj,- OPOH 2 CΟ
CH 3
CH-NHg
CO
I
ο
CH 2 0? H
POH 2 CII
ο
FIG. 3. Teichoic acids from Lactobacillus arabinosus (intracellular, R = a-Dglucosyl) and Staphylococcus albus (wall, R = α-D-N-acetylgalactosaminyl).
These cell wall constituents [reviewed by Baddiley (26)] occur
intracellularly also and do not seem to be associated with mucopeptide.
The complex structures of the teichoic acids contrast sharply with the
relatively simple structure of chitin and points to the distinctive elaboration of microbial biosynthetic functions.
Mention must also be made of muramic acid (3-O-a-carbethoxy-Dglucosamine) an amino sugar detectable in hydrolyzates of the cell walls
of many strains of bacteria (27, 28) [Corynebacterium,
Lactobacillus,
Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and other gram-positive organisms (29,
CHaOH
Η- OH
NHCOCH,
COOH
FIG. 4. Muramic acid.
30)]. It has been found also in the cell walls of Micrococcus lysodeikticus
as well as in the spore peptides of Bacillus megatherium (31). Its presence is not confined to the gram-positive group; it has been detected in
gram-negative E. coli. Muramic acid (Fig. 4) is not known to function
as a structural unit in polysaccharides, nevertheless it is clearly intimately connected with the cell walls of many, if not all, bacteria.
B. IN PLANTS
Fungal chitin, first recognized
substance under the name "fungine,
(32) in 1811 as an alkali-resistant
' appears to be confined to fungi and