Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Walls

Bacterial cell walls give bacteria their shape and help protect them from osmotic stress. This rigid but flexible layer surrounds the plasma membrane and supports cellular integrity. Its main building block is peptidoglycan, a mesh-like polymer that adds strength while still allowing some flexibility.

The bacterial cell wall is a rigid structure surrounding the plasma membrane. It maintains the cell's shape and protects it from osmotic pressure.

It is composed of peptidoglycan, a polymer of alternating sugars—N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylmuramic acid—linked by amino acids, forming a flexible mesh.

Gram-positive bacteria have th...