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Difficulty: MediumKingdom Monera: Bacteria and Cyanobacteria

A medical laboratory scientist performs a Gram stain on a bacterial culture isolated from a clinical sample. Microscopic analysis reveals that the organism possesses a thick, rigid cell wall that retains crystal violet dye. Which structural molecule forms the primary meshwork of this cell wall, distinguishing bacteria from eukaryotic plant cells?

  1. PeptidoglycanAnswer
  2. B
    Cellulose
  3. C
    Chitin
  4. D
    Capsid protein

Answer

Peptidoglycan forms the primary structural constituent of the bacterial cell wall in Kingdom Monera, distinguishing it from the cellulose wall of plant cells.
Peptidoglycan is the defining macromolecule of bacterial cell walls in Kingdom Monera, consisting of repeating disaccharide units cross-linked by amino acid side chains.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the kingdom and cellular organization of the organism described in the question.
The organism is a bacterium, belonging to Kingdom Monera (prokaryotic).
Bacterial cell walls have a distinct biochemical composition compared to eukaryotic organisms.
2
Differentiate between prokaryotic and plant cell wall constituents.
Bacterial walls are made of peptidoglycan (murein), whereas plant walls are made of cellulose.
Peptidoglycan is a complex network of cross-linked polysaccharide chains and short peptide chains unique to prokaryotes.

Key Concept

Bacterial cell wall composition (Peptidoglycan vs. Cellulose)
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Topics

Kingdom Monera: Bacteria and Cyanobacteria

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