Microbial Cell Wall

Chapter 2 of Microbe by Michele S. Swanson, Elizabeth A. Joyce, and Rachel E. Horak

Peptidoglycan

A molecule that wraps around the cell membrane of a bacterium

Exactly how many peptidoglycan molecules does one bacterium have?

1

Spell out the full name for the NAG sugar that links with another sugar via a beta 1,4 bond

N-acetylglucosamine

Spell out the full name for the NAM sugar that links with another sugar via a beta 1,4 bond

N-acetylmuramic acid

What pattern do the NAM and NAG sugars follow within the cell wall?

—NAG—NAM—NAG—NAM—NAG— (so forth and so on)

Which of the following holds multiple layers of murein (a layer of bonded NAG and NAM sugars) together?

Tetrapeptide

Which murein (a layer of bonded NAG and NAM sugars) chain sugar will have a tetrapeptide bonded to it?

N-acetylmuramic acid

How many peptide interbridges can form on a tetrapeptide?

1

Which amino acids on a tetrapeptide can form a peptide interbridge?

Amino acids one and three

Which of the following bonds create the peptide interbridge?

Hydrogen bonding