Multiple Choice
In the figure, which diagram of a cell wall represents a structure that protects the bacterial cell against osmotic lysis?
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7. Prokaryotic Cell Structures & Functions
Introduction to Bacterial Cell Walls
Multiple Choice
In the figure, which diagram of a bacterial cell wall is most resistant to many antibiotics such as penicillin?
A
Archaeal cell wall
B
Gram-negative cell wall
C
Mycoplasma cell wall
D
Gram-positive cell wall
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand the structure of different bacterial cell walls. Gram-positive bacteria have a thick peptidoglycan layer, Gram-negative bacteria have a thin peptidoglycan layer plus an outer membrane, Mycoplasma lack a cell wall, and Archaea have unique cell wall compositions that differ from bacteria.
Step 2: Recognize that penicillin and many antibiotics target the synthesis of peptidoglycan, which is a major component of bacterial cell walls.
Step 3: Analyze why Gram-negative bacteria are more resistant: their outer membrane acts as a barrier to many antibiotics, preventing them from reaching the peptidoglycan layer effectively.
Step 4: Compare this to Gram-positive bacteria, which have a thick peptidoglycan layer but lack the outer membrane, making them generally more susceptible to antibiotics like penicillin.
Step 5: Conclude that the Gram-negative cell wall structure, with its protective outer membrane, provides greater resistance to many antibiotics such as penicillin.
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