ABSTRACT
The interest in biological systems, which is observed in colloidal chemistry, is one of the examples of such a trend. The colloidal behavior of living systems has been intensively studied by biologists, biophysicists, and colloidal chemists. According to the modern concepts, which, to a large extent, treat the biomembranes from the standpoint of colloidal chemistry, a cell membrane is considered as a dynamic nanosystem composed of protein-based molecular structures immersed into a fluid phospholipid bilayer. Colloidal system stability is maintained due to the presence of the double layer at the interface between the dispersed phase and the dispersion medium. The chapter focuses major attention on the contribution of microbial cell membranes in the processes of interaction between bacteria and metals or metal compounds. Important chemical mechanisms are associated with enzymes—the protein-based supra-molecular formations linked to the membranes.
