peptidoglycan
/ˌpɛpˌtaɪdoʊˈɡlaɪkən/
noun
- A substance that forms the cell wall of bacteria, made of sugars and amino acids.
- Peptidoglycan gives bacterial cells their shape and protects them from bursting.
- The immune system can recognize fragments of peptidoglycan from invading bacteria.
- Penicillin works by preventing bacteria from building peptidoglycan in their cell walls.
Synonyms