Publisher Summary The widespread occurrence of lipoteichoic acids and their assumed
structural homogeneity, together with their singular location on the bacterial membrane, led
to the hypothesis that they may play an essential part in the cell physiology of Gram-positive
bacteria. In the meantime, deviant lipoteichoic acid structures have been detected and, more
importantly, glycosyl and alanyl substituents have been found to affect considerably the
biological activities of the classical poly (g1ycerophosphate) lipoteichoic acids. Mutants …