Microbial cell wall structures play a significant role in maintaining cells' shape, as protecting layers against harmful agents, in cell adhesion and in positive and negative biological activities with host cells. All prokaryotes, whether they are bacteria or archaea, rely on their surface polymers for these multiple functions. Their surfaces serve as the indispensable primary interfaces between the cell and its surroundings, often mediating or catalyzing important interactions.

Prokaryotic Cell Wall Compounds summarizes the current state of knowledge on the prokaryotic cell wall. Topics concerning bacterial and archaeal polymeric cell wall structures, biological activities, growth and inhibition, cell wall interactions and the applications of cell wall components, especially in the field of nanobiotechnology, are presented.

Cell Wall Polymers and Structures of Bacteria

The Murein Sacculus
Occurrence, Structure, Chemistry, Genetics, Morphogenesis, and Functions of S-Layers
Bacterial Polysaccharide Capsules
Lipopolysaccharides
Structure, Biosynthesis, and Function of Teichoic Acids and Related Cell Wall Glycopolymers in the Gram-positive Cell Envelope
Outer Membrane Proteins
Cell Wall Polymers and Structures of Archaea
Cell Envelopes of Methanogens
The Cell Envelopes of Haloarchaea: Staying in Shape in a World of Salt
Cell Envelopes of Crenarchaeota and Nanoarchaeota
Biological Activities
Immunochemistry of the Cell Walls of Methanogenic Archaea: A View from the Past into the Future
Cell Wall Structure and Pathogenicity
Cell Wall Growth and Inhibition
Cell Wall Targeted Antibiotics
Bacterial Autolysins
Cell Wall Interactions
Prokaryotic Cell-Cell Interaction
Adhesion of Bacteria to Protists
Application of Cell Wall Components
Prokaryotic Cell Wall Components: Structure and Biochemistry
Accumulation of Heavy Metals by Micro-organisms: Biomineralization and Nanocluster Formation.