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Most bacteria have a cell wall there are some that have no cell walls such as mycoplasmas bacteria and Chlamydia. It is usually rigid and surrounds all eubacterial cells. The cell wall of bacteria is located at the inner side of the capsule. The capsules of bacteria also aid colonization by enhancing the attachment of bacteria cells to surfaces. Capsule-containing bacteria give rise to smooth, mucus-likeĬolonies when cultured compared to the unencapsulated bacteria that have nonmucoid colonies that are rough.īacterial capsules play protective roles by limiting their ingestion by white blood cells (leukocytes). This layer is called the Capsule when it is thick and firmly bound to the cell but referred to as a Slime layer when it is loosely bound and thinner. Many bacteria cells are surrounded by a thick layer made up of polysaccharides, polypeptides, or proteins that are hydrophilic in nature and gel-like. Processes such as protecting the bacterial cell against chemical and biological attacks in its environment while also aiding the colonization of surfaces by bacteria. The bacterial cell envelope carries out many cellular The envelope of the bacterial cell comprises complex structures that vary among different major groups of bacteria. The types of bacteria with their associated structures would be mentioned when discussing each structure below. Some bacteria cells have some structures that are not available in others. The structures listed above are not present in all types of bacteria.
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How they do so has been debated for decades, but recently experiment has begun to catch up with theory. Because shape is both stable and heritable, as is the ability of many organisms to execute defined morphological transformations, cells must actively choose from among a large repertoire of available shapes. At the same time, this wall imposes on each cell a shape.
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In free-living eubacteria an external shell of peptidoglycan opposes internal hydrostatic pressure and prevents membrane rupture and death.
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