Question

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?

Answer 1

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).  

Answer 2

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.