Cell Wall Disruption and Lysis

Abstract The microbial world has been increasingly exploited for the production of useful materials. The disruption of the cell wall is a necessary step in the separation and purification of intracellular products. A general review of the chemical composition and structure of the cell wall is given for different kinds of microorganisms. The effects of cell growth conditions on the resistance of the cell wall to disruption are analysed and quantitative data of the cell wall strength is presented. Different methods of quantifying the efficiency of the disintegration process are commented. A review is made of the main technologies used for the disintegration of the cell wall, which have gained large acceptance for either analytical or preparative and large scale applications. The implications of the disruption process for further separation operations are also reviewed. New trends for process intensification by coupling the disruption/permeabilization step with primary capture techniques to yield pure target proteins in fewer process steps are also reviewed.