Abstract
This chapter discusses the role of membranes in the synthesis of macromolecules. The role of membranes in the biosynthesis of cell wall polymers and glycoproteins is now well established and considerable insight has been gained into the molecular mechanisms involved in assembly of these complex macromolecules. Although the specific biochemical problems posed in the synthesis of these diverse types of macromolecule obviously differ, certain generalizations about the role of the membrane in these processes are becoming evident. The first relates to the function of specific membrane lipids. Another generalization about the role of the membrane is suggested by architectural considerations. The structural framework of the membrane provides an organized matrix facilitating spatial and temporal coordination of the complex series of events required in the assembly of cell walls or orderly replication and separation of chromosomes. This organizational function in synthesis of membrane-associated macromolecules is, thus, comparable to the function of the ribosome in protein synthesis.
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