ABSTRACT
Bacteria are divided into Gram-positive and Gram-negative groups based on their cell wall structure. The bacterial cell wall is a rigid structure surrounding a flexible cell membrane.The cellwallmaintains the shape of the cell: its rigidwall compensates for the innate flexibility of the phospholipid membrane and also maintains the cell’s integrity when the intracellular osmotic gradient is unfavorable. The wall is also responsible for attachment: teichoicacids attached to the outer surface of the wall serve as attachment sites for bacteriophages. Flagella, fimbriae, and pili all emanate from the wall.
