A bacterium with an absent cell wall is referred to as a protoplast. Cell walls may be destroyed due to lysosomal enzymes that break down foreign pathogens through the destruction of peptidoglycan.  Although the cell is metabolically active, it is unable to reproduce. Antibiotics degrade bacteria to produce protoplasts which cannot replicate, thus treating the bacterial infection. 

Protoplast

A bacterium with a damaged cell wall is classified as a spheroplast. It may be caused by toxic chemicals or antibiotics; however, bacterial colonies can grow when the toxic agent is removed from the environment. 

Spheroplasts

The presence of LPS within the cell walls of gram-negative bacteria attributes to endotoxic activity and antigen specificity. 

Tulane University

The outer membrane is only found in gram-negative bacteria and serves as the first barrier to the external surroundings. It is composed of lipopolysaccharides and phospholipids. 

Outer Membrane

Al-mohanna, Moshtaq & H., quine. (2016). MORPHOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION OF BACTERIA. 

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