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The structure of the cell wall of Staphylococcus aureus studied with neutron scattering and magnetic birefringence
Author(s) -
Torbet J.,
Norton M.Y.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(82)81042-9
Subject(s) - birefringence , neutron scattering , small angle neutron scattering , scattering , materials science , neutron , magnetic structure , optics , condensed matter physics , molecular physics , nuclear magnetic resonance , chemistry , physics , magnetic field , magnetization , nuclear physics , quantum mechanics
The cell wall complex was extracted from Staphylococcus aureus and characterized in suspension by means of small‐angle neutron scattering and magnetically induced birefringence. The neutron scattering measurements show that the complex has a thickness of ∼420 Å, a mass per unit area of 93 ± 11 daltons/Å 2 and is ∼75% water by volume. The neutron scattering density is higher near the surface than in the interior in accordance with a trilamellar structure. The magnetically induced birefringence measurements demonstrate that a high degree of magnetic orientation is possible due to the anisotropic nature of the wall complex structure.