The cell walls of bacteria are responsible for the shape of the bacteria and the difference in the Gram stain reaction.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The cell walls of bacteria contain peptidoglycan, which is responsible for maintaining the shape of bacterial cells and their ability to resist osmotic pressure. The presence or absence of peptidoglycan in the cell walls determines whether bacteria are Gram-positive or Gram-negative, respectively. Therefore, the cell walls of bacteria are responsible for both their shape and their Gram stain reaction.

The Cell Walls of Bacteria Are Responsible for the Shape