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House 200X200  ß-Lactams: Mechanisms of Action and Resistance
(video)  Structurally, most bacteria consist of a cell membrane
surrounded by a cell wall and, for some bacteria, an additional
outer layer. Internal to the cell membrane is the cytoplasm
which contains ribosomes, a nuclear region and in some cases
granules and/or vesicles. Depending on the bacterial species, a
number of different external structures may be found such as a
capsule, flagella and pili.  In gram negative bacteria, the gap
between the cell membrane and the cell wall is known as the
periplasmic space. Most gram positive bacteria do not possess a
periplasmic space but have only periplasm where metabolic
digestion occurs and new cell peptidoglycan is attached.
Peptidoglycan, the most important component of the cell wall, is
a polymer made of N-acetyl mura