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Question

The main difference in gram positive and gram negative bacteria resides in their :
(1) Cell envelope
(2) Flagella
(3) Cell membrane
(4) Cell wall

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Solution

(4) Cell Wall

Gram positive bacteria stain blue-purple with gram stain while Gram negative does not. Gram positive bacteria contain a thick peptidoglycan layer while gram negative bacteria contain an extra outer lipid layer with a very thin peptidoglycan layer. Most pathogenic bacteria are Gram negative. Gram negative cell walls contain a thin peptidoglycan layer (without teichoic acids) that is surrounded by a thick plasma membrane. Gram positive bacteria will stain purple because of their thick peptidoglycan cell wall.
Cell Wall Cell Wall is 20-30 nm thick. Cell Wall is 8-12 nm thick.
Cell Wall The wall is Smooth. The wall is wavy.
Peptidoglycan Layer Thick (multilayered) Thin (single-layered)
Teichoic Acids Present in many Absent
Periplasmic Space Absent Present
Outer Membrane Absent Present

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