The target of lysozyme in bacterial cells is ______.

• A. the bacterial capsule
• B. ribosomal RNA
• C. the peptidoglycan layer of the cell wall
• D. the plasma membrane

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the function of lysozyme: it is an enzyme that breaks down specific components of bacterial cells.
2. Recall the structure of bacterial cells, focusing on the cell wall, which contains peptidoglycan—a polymer consisting of sugars and amino acids.
3. Recognize that lysozyme specifically targets the bonds between the sugar molecules in the peptidoglycan layer, leading to cell wall degradation.
4. Eliminate other options by considering that the bacterial capsule is a polysaccharide layer outside the cell wall, ribosomal RNA is inside the cell involved in protein synthesis, and the plasma membrane is a lipid bilayer not targeted by lysozyme.
5. Conclude that the correct target of lysozyme is the peptidoglycan layer of the bacterial cell wall.