The genus Lactobacillus includes many species and Lactobacillus
plantarum is one which has been utilised for the purpose of food
fermentation and as a health promoting agent.
It is a Gram-positive bacterium in which the cell surface
has an overall hydrophobic nature and the wall consists primarily of peptidoglycan which is a cross-linked network of carbohydrates, peptides, teichoic acid, and polysaccharides with the proteins anchored covalently and noncovalently as part of the wall structure.
Some of the molecules present in the cells are involved in
adhesion and interactions, and these include polysaccharides,
teichoic acid, lipoteichoic acid, proteins and lipids.