Ending the (Cell) wall metaphor in microbiology
Arturo Casadevall1, Neil A R Gow2
1School of Medicine, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins, Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Cell Surface (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
|November 21, 2022
Summary
The outer surfaces of fungi and bacteria are dynamic and adaptable, not rigid. New terms like "plégma" or "reticulum" better describe these complex structures than "cell wall".
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Mycology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- The outer surfaces of microorganisms, including fungi and bacteria, are traditionally referred to as cell walls.
- Existing terminology may not fully encompass the dynamic and adaptable nature of these structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To challenge the conventional understanding of microbial outer surfaces.
- To propose more accurate terminology for describing the complex structures of bacterial and fungal outer surfaces.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and conceptual analysis of microbial surface structures.
- Comparative analysis of existing terminology versus proposed terms.
Main Results:
- Microbial outer surfaces exhibit dynamic, flexible, regulated, and adaptable characteristics.
- The term "cell wall" is deemed conceptually limiting and insufficient.
- Greek term "plégma" and Latin "reticulum" are suggested as more fitting descriptors.
Conclusions:
- The dynamic nature of fungal and bacterial outer surfaces necessitates a re-evaluation of terminology.
- Proposed terms "plégma" or "reticulum" offer a more accurate representation of microbial outer surface complexity.
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