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Peptidoglycan

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Definition

Peptidoglycan is a polymer with a structural role in the bacterial cell wall. It is a barrier that provides structural strength to the bacteria. It is made of polysaccharides attached to oligopeptides in linear chains (N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylmuramic acid alternating with cross-linked oligopeptides (no more than five amino acids)). The oligopeptides are attached to N-acetylmuramic acid. Due to the cross-linked oligopeptide, it constitutes a 3D structural layer, which is thicker in the case of Gram-positive bacteria (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1
figure 1

Peptidoglycan basic monomer with two elements (N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylmuramic acid). Cross-linked oligopeptide constitutes a 3D network with structural role in the bacterial cell wall

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC/INTA), Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Ctra de Torrejón a Ajalvir, km 4, 28850, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    Felipe Gomez

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  1. Felipe Gomez
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Correspondence to Felipe Gomez .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  2. Labo. d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers (OASU), Floirac CX, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  3. Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), Inst. Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  4. Geophysical Lab., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

  5. Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

    William M. Irvine

  6. Dépt. Sc. de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec, Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Daniele Pinti

  7. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiale (CNES) DPI/E2U, Paris CX, France

    Michel Viso

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Gomez, F. (2014). Peptidoglycan. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1165-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1165-2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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