PATHWAYS AND PRINCIPLES OF THE BIOSYNTHESIS OF METHANOBACTERIAL CELL-WALL POLYMERS

The methanobacterial cell envelope polymers exhibit some structural an d chemical similarities with cell wall components of the bacteria and eucarya. Therefore, common biosynthetic principles involved in the cel l wall polymers may occur in methanogens and organisms of the other do mains. In order to prove this possibility we have investigated the bio synthesis of three different methanobacterial cell wall polymers: a pe ptidoglycan (pseudomurein), a heteropolysaccharide (methanochondroitin ) and a glycoprotein (S-layer). Based on isolated intermediates biosyn thetic pathways for these polymers are proposed and differences with w ell known biosynthetic routes of chemically comparable cell wall polym ers of other organisms are discussed.