Peptidoglycan is a polymer of millions of n-acetylglucosamine (nag) and n-acetylmuramic acid (nam) sugars based on glucose molecules linked together in long chains cross-braced with four amino acids that link individual polymer chains together in a chain-link fence pattern. layers of cross-braced nag and nam sheets are stacked vertically and held together by proteins with lipid anchors attached to the cell's cytoplasmic membrane to form a scaffold of sugars and proteins that is able to hold the bacterial cell's shape, even in response to extreme osmotic pressures. how would you expect a microbiology student to be able to describe the composition of peptidoglycan? what is the composition of the peptidoglycan layers found in the cell wall of bacteria?

Peptidoglycan is composed of alternating N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetylglucosamine, short amino acid chains, and some lipid proteins. Both amino sugars are bonded by beta-glycosidic bonds. The amino acid sequence in the crosslinking of the lattice also differs between bacteria species.

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Larus Larus · Answer 2 · 2018-09-30T09:56:43+02:00

The correct answer is short amino acid, NAM, NAG, and some lipid proteins.

Murein, also called peptidoglycan refers to a polymer comprising amino acids and sugars, which forms a mesh-like layer external to the plasma membrane of the majority of bacteria, producing the cell wall.

The sugar constituent comprises alternative residues of beta-1-4 linked NAM (N-acetylmuramic acid) and NAG (N-acetylglucosamine).