How do the membranes of archaea differ from bacteria and eukaryotes?
A) The lipids do not contain a carboxylic acid ester, but instead have an ether link to the glycerol.
B) The alkyl chains are branched.
C) The stereochemistry of the central carbon of glycerol is inverted.
D) A and C are correct.
E) All the answers are correct.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The membranes of archaea differ from those of bacteria and eukaryotes in several key ways: they contain lipids that are linked to glycerol via ether bonds rather than ester bonds (A), the alkyl chains in their lipids can be branched (B), and the stereochemistry of the glycerol's central carbon is indeed inverted compared to bacteria and eukaryotes (C). Therefore, all the provided statements are correct.

How Do the Membranes of Archaea Differ from Bacteria and Eukaryotes