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peptidoglycan

peptidoglycan

1 9.3
A large molecule of sugars and small protein parts that forms most bacterial cell walls
  • noun
  • /ˌpɛp.tɪ.doʊˈɡlaɪ.kæn/
  • Specialized
: peptidoglicano
  • For example, native amidase-active PGRPs are used by tsetse flies to shield their nutritional endosymbionts from the host immune system by recycling peptidoglycan from lysed endosymbiont cells.
  • peptidoglycan layer

Examples

  • The researchers found that these non-toxic dyes preferentially label the sites where the peptidoglycan is synthesized, enabling fine spatiotemporal tracking of cell wall dynamics.

    Blog text (26)
  • Common bacterial glycoconjugates include the capsular polysaccharide, glycosylated proteins, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and peptidoglycan.

    Academic text (2018)
  • Shortening of this bridge prevents peptidoglycan linking.

    Blog text (25)
  • Supplementing the cells with glycine resulted in relatively normal peptidoglycan with only a few missing bridges.

    Blog text (25)
  • This is the structure of the chemical dye that stains peptidoglycan through absorbing into the peptidoglycan.

  • Bacteria-to-eukaryote HGT events include not only genes for peptidoglycan degradation but also genes for peptidoglycan synthesis.

    Academic text (2018)
  • Although a peptidoglycan layer has been found surrounding the chloroplasts of mosses, no detectable peptidoglycan layer seems to exist in A. thaliana.

    Academic text (2018)
  • The lack of endotoxin in the outer cell wall is compensated for by the presence of exposed peptidoglycan and a range of other toxic secreted products.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Tae proteins cleave the amide linkages of peptidoglycan and were domesticated in at least three eukaryotic supergroups (Fig. 3; Table 1).

    Academic text (2018)
  • The cell wall of most bacteria is primarily composed of peptidoglycan, which provides structural support and protection.

Surface Forms

peptidoglycan singular

Morphology

peptidoglycan = peptide + glycan (transparent) = peptid + glycan

Formed from 'peptide' + 'glycan', so the term denotes a peptide–sugar polymer and the meaning is directly derivable from those bases for learners who know the technical base words.

Etymology

Peptidoglycan comes from the parts peptido- meaning 'small piece of protein' and glycan meaning 'sugar chain'. So, it literally names a sugar-and-protein layer that makes the outer wall of many bacteria.