Bacterial vs Archaeal Membrane Lipids

Bacterial and archaeal plasma membranes control what enters and leaves the cell. They also help maintain cell integrity. Although both membranes do the same basic job, their structures are different because bacteria and archaea face different environmental demands.

Bacterial plasma membranes are ...

The plasma membrane is the innermost layer of the cell envelope and regulates the selective permeability of the prokaryotic cell.

Bacterial plasma membranes are composed of a phospholipid bilayer. The fatty acids in a phospholipid are attached to a glycerol backbone through ester bonds.

In contrast, archaeal plasma membranes contain ...