peptidoglycan
noun
pep·ti·do·gly·can
ˌpep-tə-dō-ˈglī-ˌkan 
: a polymer that is composed of polysaccharide and peptide chains and is found especially in bacterial cell walls
called also mucopeptide, murein
Examples of peptidoglycan in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There's an outer membrane, which contains LPS, and an inner membrane made of peptidoglycan, a large polymer that forms a rigid mesh scaffold around the bacterial cytoplasm.
—
Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 5 Jan. 2024
The drugs are generally active against gram-positive bacteria, a group of bacteria that has peptidoglycan on the outside of the cell wall.
—Jenny Sweigard, Verywell Health, 16 Nov. 2023
When most cells grow and divide, the peptidoglycan breaks apart, grows, and then reassembles itself partly from the original pieces.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 16 June 2023
Jutras is developing a test strip embedded with monoclonal antibodies sensitive to the peptidoglycan fragments, which could be dipped into a urine sample and turn a telltale color if the bacterial material is present.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 16 June 2023
That thick layer of peptidoglycan helps hold in a purple dye called crystal violet.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 16 Aug. 2019
By contrast, cells with more complex cell walls consisting of a relatively thin layer of peptidoglycan plus an outer membrane don’t hold in crystal violet as well.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 16 Aug. 2019
The authors think that the peptidoglycan remains in synovial fluid after the pathogen is gone.
—Linda Carroll, NBC News, 18 June 2019
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 5 Jan. 2024
The drugs are generally active against gram-positive bacteria, a group of bacteria that has peptidoglycan on the outside of the cell wall.
—Jenny Sweigard, Verywell Health, 16 Nov. 2023
When most cells grow and divide, the peptidoglycan breaks apart, grows, and then reassembles itself partly from the original pieces.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 16 June 2023
Jutras is developing a test strip embedded with monoclonal antibodies sensitive to the peptidoglycan fragments, which could be dipped into a urine sample and turn a telltale color if the bacterial material is present.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 16 June 2023
That thick layer of peptidoglycan helps hold in a purple dye called crystal violet.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 16 Aug. 2019
By contrast, cells with more complex cell walls consisting of a relatively thin layer of peptidoglycan plus an outer membrane don’t hold in crystal violet as well.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 16 Aug. 2019
The authors think that the peptidoglycan remains in synovial fluid after the pathogen is gone.
—Linda Carroll, NBC News, 18 June 2019
Dictionary Entries Near peptidoglycan
Cite this Entry
“Peptidoglycan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peptidoglycan. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
peptidoglycan
noun
pep·ti·do·gly·can
ˌpep-təd-ō-ˈglī-ˌkan
: a polymer that is composed of polysaccharide and peptide chains and is found especially in bacterial cell walls
called also mucopeptide, murein
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share