Molecular Organization of Bacterial Membranes

Abstract

The most important processes of energy conversion (photosynthesis, chemosynthesis, and respiration) in bacteria are associated with the lipoprotein membranes, but bacteria do not have specialized organ-elles—(mitochondria or chloroplasts). The system of membranes in aerobic and most facultative anaerobic bacteria can be regarded as the functional analog of mitochondria. However, mitochondrial functions are more limited than those of the bacterial membranes. As discussed in the previous chapter, bacterial membranes are involved in a number of specific processes—division, sporulation, cell-wall formation, biosynthesis of proteins and other polymers, nitrogen fixation, and so on. Although none of these processes are associated with mitochondria, they have at least one feature in common—they require energy, which is produced in adjacent parts of the membranes.