Question

the bacterial cell wall is composed of a complex of sugars and amino acids that is referred to as the ______ layer. polysaccharide slime periplasmic peptidoglycan outer membrane

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze each option:

• Polysaccharide: Consists of sugars only, not amino acids. Eliminate.
• Slime: A glycocalyx layer, not the cell wall's main component. Eliminate.
• Periplasmic: Related to the space between membranes, not the cell wall's composition. Eliminate.
• Peptidoglycan: Is a complex of sugars (glycan) and amino acids (peptide), matching the description of the bacterial cell wall's main component.
• Outer membrane: A lipid - protein layer in some bacteria, not composed of sugars and amino acids as described. Eliminate.

Answer:

D. peptidoglycan