Which term describes bacteria that have cell walls made of peptidoglycan?

Which term describes bacteria that have cell walls made of peptidoglycan?

• A. Eubacteria
• B. Capsule
• C. Archaebacteria
• D. Monerans

Answer: (A)

Peptidoglycan in the cell wall is the distinguishing feature of the bacteria group known as eubacteria. This polymer of sugars cross-linked with amino acids gives the cell wall its rigid structure and is a chemical hallmark that sets these bacteria apart from others. Archaebacteria, for example, lack peptidoglycan and instead have walls made from different substances, so the presence of peptidoglycan points to eubacteria rather than archaea. The capsule is simply a protective outer layer seen in some bacteria and does not define the wall’s basic chemical composition. Monerans is an old label that doesn’t specify cell-wall chemistry, so it isn’t the term that identifies bacteria with peptidoglycan.

Peptidoglycan in the cell wall is the distinguishing feature of the bacteria group known as eubacteria. This polymer of sugars cross-linked with amino acids gives the cell wall its rigid structure and is a chemical hallmark that sets these bacteria apart from others. Archaebacteria, for example, lack peptidoglycan and instead have walls made from different substances, so the presence of peptidoglycan points to eubacteria rather than archaea. The capsule is simply a protective outer layer seen in some bacteria and does not define the wall’s basic chemical composition. Monerans is an old label that doesn’t specify cell-wall chemistry, so it isn’t the term that identifies bacteria with peptidoglycan.