Answer:
The correct answer is option c. prevents lysis of the cell in hypotonic conditions.
Explanation:
If a bacterial cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, then the water from the bacteria will move into the solution as the water moves from a higher concentration to a lower concentration. This leads to shrinkage of the bacterial cell but not lysis of the cell. Therefore in the hypertonic solution, the cell does not lyse.
On other hand, if the bacterial cell is placed in a hypotonic solution, the water from the solution will enter into the bacteria due to a higher concentration of water is present in the solution than the cell and this will cause swelling of the cell. The cell wall is a rigid cell structure that prevents the lysis of the cell in the hypotonic solution.
