Generic and Specific Roles of Saccharides at Cell and Bacteria Surfaces

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xv

   PDF

2. Introduction

   • Emanuel Schneck, Motomu Tanaka

   Pages 1-7

3. Theoretical Background

   • Emanuel Schneck, Motomu Tanaka

   Pages 9-38

4. Materials and Methods

   • Emanuel Schneck

   Pages 39-54

5. Theoretical Modeling

   • Emanuel Schneck

   Pages 55-78

6. Inter-Membrane Interactions and Mechanical Properties of Membranes Composed of Synthetic Glycolipids

   • Emanuel Schneck

   Pages 79-99

7. Structure and Mechanical Properties of Bacteria Surfaces

   • Emanuel Schneck

   Pages 101-123

8. Conclusions

   • Emanuel Schneck

   Pages 125-126

9. Outlook

   • Emanuel Schneck, Motomu Tanaka

   Pages 127-127

Systematic investigations of the structure, mechanics, and dynamics of biological surfaces help us understand more about biological processes taking place at cell and bacteria surfaces. Presented here is a study of the role membrane-bound saccharides play in the modulation of interactions between cells/bacteria and their environments. In this thesis, membrane structures were probed perpendicular and parallel to the surface, and sophisticated planar models of biomembranes composed of glycolipids of various structural complexities were designed. Furthermore, specular and off-specular X-ray and neutron scattering experiments were carried out. This research has led to the development of several new methods for extracting information on the structure and mechanics of saccharide-rendered biomembranes from the measured scattering signals. In fact, more is now known about the influence of the saccharide structure. These results demonstrate that the study of planar model systems with X-ray and neutron scattering techniques can provide comprehensive insight into the structure and mechanics of complex biological surfaces.

• bacteria surface
• bacteria surface
• biological interfaces
• biological interfaces
• cell surface
• cell surface
• glyocolipid molecules
• glyocolipid molecules
• grazing incidence x-ray flourescence
• grazing incidence x-ray flourescence
• membrane surface
• membrane surface
• modulation of interactions
• modulation of interactions
• neutron scattering
• neutron scattering
• x-ray scattering
• x-ray scattering
• carbohydrate chemistry

• , Physical Chemistry of Biosystems and BIO, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

  Emanuel Schneck

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