VMC 211: General Veterinary Microbiology (1+1)

STRUCTURE AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

• The shape determining part of the cell wall is mainly peptidoglycan. It is also called as murein. It is an insoluble, porous, cross linked polymer of high strength and rigidity. It is found only in prokaryotes. It occurs in the form of a “bag shaped macromolecule” surrounding the cytoplasmic membrane.
• Peptidoglycan is a polymer of N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylmuramic acid, L- alanine, D- alanine, D- glutamate and a diaminoacid. It occurs in a dynamic state. Portions of the peptidoglycan is continually degraded by wall associated hydrolytic enzymes so that new polymer can be added.   Peptidoglycan structure