noun
- Plural of murein; a polymer that forms the rigid structural component of bacterial cell walls, composed of peptidoglycan.
Usage: technical; microbiology; biochemistry
Examples
- Mureins are essential components of the bacterial cell wall that provide structural integrity.
- The antibiotic penicillin works by disrupting murein synthesis in bacteria.
- Gram-positive bacteria have a thick layer of mureins in their cell walls.
- Scientists study mureins to understand bacterial resistance mechanisms.
- The cross-linking of murein strands creates a strong mesh-like structure.