FIG. 1.

Structure of peptidoglycans and their lysis by lysozyme and lytic transglycosylases. (A) Lysis of peptidoglycan by lysozyme and lytic transglycosylases (LT), resulting in the release of GlcNAc and either MurNAc or 1,6-anhydroMurNAc residues. (B) Structure of O-acetylated peptidoglycan. The presence of the C-6 acetyl moiety on muramoyl residues precludes the formation of 1,6-anhydromuramoyl products by lytic transglycosylases, while it also sterically hinders the binding of lysozyme. R, stem peptides associated with MurNAc residues.