Peptidoglycan monomers are synthesized in the cytosol of the bacterium where they attach to a membrane carrier molecule called bactoprenol. The bactoprenols transport the peptidoglycan monomers across the cytoplasmic membrane and helps insert them into the growing peptidoglycan chains.

a. First, N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) links up with uridine diphosphate (UDP) to form UDP-NAG. Some of the NAG is enzymatically converted to N-acetylmuramic acid (NAM) forming UDP-NAM.