Question

Why do bacteria have a negative charge?

Answer 1

Bacteria:

1. Enzymatic activity during cell respiration releases electrons that lead to a change in the bacterial cell wall.
2. Gram-negative bacteria are covered on the outer with phospholipids and lipopolysaccharide.
3. Gram-negative bacteria have a high negative charge on their surface because of lipopolysaccharides.
4. At neutral pH, the majority of bacterial cells have a net negative charge as a result of the existence of peptidoglycan, which is abundant in carboxyl and amino groups.
5. Teichoic acids with phosphate-rich constituents also contribute to the negative charge on bacterial cell walls.
6. Gram-positive bacteria have a negative charge due to the presence of teichoic acids linked to either the peptidoglycan or the underlying plasma membrane.
7. These teichoic acids are negatively charged because phosphate is a part of their structure.
8. Because teichoic acids, which are negatively charged due to the presence of phosphate in their structure, are present in the cell walls of bacteria, and hence, bacteria have a negative charge.