noun
- Plural of periplasm; the space between the outer and inner membranes of gram-negative bacteria, containing enzymes and other proteins.
Usage: technical; microbiology
Examples
- The periplasms of gram-negative bacteria contain important enzymes for nutrient transport.
- Proteins secreted into the periplasms play a crucial role in bacterial survival.
- Researchers studied how antibiotics penetrate the periplasms of pathogenic bacteria.
- The periplasms serve as a compartment for various metabolic processes in gram-negative cells.