Multiple Choice
In an introductory comparison of prokaryotes, which statement correctly describes a key difference between Bacteria and Archaea?
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1. Introduction to Microbiology
Introduction to Archaea
1:56 minutesProblem 5
Textbook Question
Archaea cell walls tend to contain:
a. Lipid bilayers.
b. Pseudopeptidoglycan.
c. Cholesterol.
d. Flagellin.
e. Peptidoglycan.
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand the composition of archaeal cell walls compared to bacterial cell walls. Unlike bacteria, archaea do not have peptidoglycan in their cell walls.
Step 2: Recall that archaea have unique cell wall components, one of which is pseudopeptidoglycan (also called pseudomurein), which is chemically distinct from bacterial peptidoglycan.
Step 3: Recognize that lipid bilayers are part of the archaeal cell membrane, but the question specifically asks about cell walls, so lipid bilayers are not the main component of the cell wall.
Step 4: Note that cholesterol is typically found in eukaryotic cell membranes, not in archaeal cell walls.
Step 5: Flagellin is a protein that makes up bacterial flagella, not a component of archaeal cell walls.
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Video duration:
1mKey Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Archaeal Cell Wall Composition
Archaeal cell walls differ from bacterial cell walls and typically lack peptidoglycan. Instead, many archaea have cell walls made of pseudopeptidoglycan or other unique polymers, which provide structural support and protection.
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Pseudopeptidoglycan
Pseudopeptidoglycan is a polymer similar to bacterial peptidoglycan but with different chemical linkages and sugar components. It is found in some archaeal cell walls and helps maintain cell shape and integrity.
Differences Between Archaeal and Bacterial Membranes
Archaeal membranes contain unique lipid bilayers with ether linkages, unlike bacterial membranes that have ester linkages. Archaeal membranes do not contain cholesterol or flagellin, which are typical in eukaryotic membranes and bacterial flagella, respectively.
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