title: The shape-maintaining component of halobacterium salinarium: a cell surface glycoprotein.
abstract: Halobacterium salinarium lacks the rigid peptidogylcan layer necessary for shape-maintenance in most bacteria. Instead, the major cell surface component is a high-molecular-weight glycoprotein resembling those found on the surface of eukaryotic cells. The glycoprotein is extremely acidic and has carbohydrate units attached via both N- and O-glycosidis linkages. Evidence has been obtained that demonstrates that the glycoprotein forms a rigid structural matrix at the cell surface and is responsible for maintenance of the characteristic rod-shaped morphology of these organisms.
mesh_terms: D001414:Bacitracin / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D006217:Halobacterium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D001414:Bacitracin; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases