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Questions and Answers
What is peptidoglycan?
What is peptidoglycan?
Peptidoglycan is a polymer that forms a mesh-like layer in the cell walls of bacteria.
Peptidoglycan can be identified using Gram staining.
Peptidoglycan can be identified using Gram staining.
True
What is the characteristic of the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria?
What is the characteristic of the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria?
What is the primary structure of the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria?
What is the primary structure of the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria?
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Gram-negative bacteria have a thin peptidoglycan layer compared to Gram-positive bacteria.
Gram-negative bacteria have a thin peptidoglycan layer compared to Gram-positive bacteria.
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What makes Gram-negative bacteria harder to treat with antibiotics?
What makes Gram-negative bacteria harder to treat with antibiotics?
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Which of the following is a characteristic of the color change during Gram staining?
Which of the following is a characteristic of the color change during Gram staining?
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Study Notes
Peptidoglycan in Bacteria
- Peptidoglycan is a component of bacterial cell walls
- Thickness varies, influencing Gram classification
- Gram staining identifies bacteria by cell wall structure
Gram-Positive Bacteria
- Cell Wall: Thick peptidoglycan layer
- Structure: Capsule → Thick cell wall → Plasma membrane
- Treatment: Easier to treat with antibiotics
- Staining: Retains crystal violet stain, appearing purple after staining
- Additional Notes:
- Contains one plasma membrane
- Can travel easily through cell walls
- Remains purple after staining
Gram-Negative Bacteria
- Cell Wall: Thin peptidoglycan layer
- Structure: Capsule → Thin cell wall → Plasma membrane
- Treatment: Harder to treat with antibiotics
- Staining: Does not retain crystal violet, stains pink/red after counter-staining with safranin
- Additional Notes:
- Contains double plasma membrane layers
- Harder to penetrate with antibiotics
- Two checkpoint locations for antibiotic access
- May require different antibiotics
- Changes color from purple to red during staining
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Description
This quiz explores the differences between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, focusing on their peptidoglycan layers and how these affect their treatment with antibiotics. Understanding Gram staining and bacterial cell wall structure is essential for microbiology students and those interested in antibiotic resistance.
