| Description | Protein involved in the synthesis of peptidoglycan which consists of a glycosaminoglycan formed by alternating residues of D-glucosamine and either muramic acid {2-amino-3-O-[(R)-1-carboxyethyl]-2-deoxy-D- glucose} or L-talosaminuronic acid (2-amino-2-deoxy-L-taluronic acid), which are usually N-acetylated or N-glycoloylated. The carboxyl group of the muramic acid is commonly substituted by a peptide containing residues of both L- and D-amino acids, whereas that of L- talosaminuronic acid is substituted by a peptide consisting of L-amino acids only. These peptide units may be cross-linked by a peptide bond, thereby giving rise to a giant macromolecule that forms the rigid cell wall (sacculus or murein sacculus). This macromolecule is known to occur as a monomolecular layer between the inner and outer membrane in Gram-negative bacteria and as a multimolecular layer, often associated covalently or non-covalently with various additional compounds (teichoic acids, neutral polysaccharides. etc.) in Gram-positive bacteria. In the archaebacteria, several organisms contain a peptidoglycan, also called pseudomurein, which differs in certain respects from those of the eubacteria |
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