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Is the peptidoglycan layer a single molecule?
Posted June 30, 2021
Cellular Structures and OrganellesGram Stainingbacteria
Answer

No, the peptidoglycan layer is not a single molecule. It is a vast polymer made up of interlocking chains of identical peptidoglycan monomers. Each peptidoglycan monomer consists of alternating chains of two glucose derivatives - N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) and N-acetylmuramic acid (NAM). These long alternating chains are cross-linked to each other by a tetrapeptide extending off the NAM unit. 

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Molecular basis for bacterial peptidoglycan recognition by LysM domainsMycoLight™ Bacterial Viability Assay Kit Gram Staining

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