(Description) Figure 8 Structure and arrangement of peptidoglycan chains in the bacterial cell wall. Peptidoglycan molecules consist of a backbone of carbohydrate units with sets of amino-acid residues attached (yellow). They are cross-linked by bridges (red), providing structure and strength.

Week 2: How do antibiotics work?

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The diagram shows two adjacent chains of alternating N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylmuramic acid units, represented here as large blue balls. Extending downwards from each N-acetylmuramic acid unit is a chain of four amino acid residues, shown here as small yellow balls. The ends of the amino acid chains on adjacent carbohydrate units are joined by glycine cross-bridges, shown here as red bars.