Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) are molecules that recognize peptidoglycan, a large component in bacterial cell walls. In insects, PGRPs activate antimicrobial pathways, and in mammals PGRPs function as antibacterial neutrophil proteins. PGRP-L halts bacterial growth by acting as an alanine amidase, an enzyme that hydrolyzes the amide bond of bacterial peptidoglycan. PGRP-Iå and PGRP-I∫ are also members of the PGRP family that help recognize bacteria by binding to peptidoglycan and Gram-positive bacteria, but they do not have amidase activity. PGRP-S participates in intracellular killing of Gram-positive bacteria by stimulating two antimicrobial defense systems, the prophenoloxidase cascade and the antimicrobial peptides through Toll receptors.