What is the cell wall of bacteria made of?

Prepare for the PLTW Biomedical Science Test. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question comes with hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

What is the cell wall of bacteria made of?

Explanation:
Bacteria have a rigid cell wall made primarily of peptidoglycan, a mesh-like network of sugar chains cross-linked by short peptides. This structure gives the cell its shape and helps protect it from bursting in hypotonic environments. Lipopolysaccharide is part of the outer membrane in Gram-negative bacteria, not the main wall itself; chitin is found in fungal cell walls; nucleic acids are the genetic material, not the wall. Peptidoglycan is specifically the material that defines bacterial cell walls and is a common antibiotic target.

Bacteria have a rigid cell wall made primarily of peptidoglycan, a mesh-like network of sugar chains cross-linked by short peptides. This structure gives the cell its shape and helps protect it from bursting in hypotonic environments. Lipopolysaccharide is part of the outer membrane in Gram-negative bacteria, not the main wall itself; chitin is found in fungal cell walls; nucleic acids are the genetic material, not the wall. Peptidoglycan is specifically the material that defines bacterial cell walls and is a common antibiotic target.

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