DL-2,6-Diaminopimelic Acid is a stereoisomer of mesodiaminopimelic acid (meso-DAP), a constituent of the peptidoglycans present in the cell walls of algae and most bacteria. DL-Diaminopimelic Acid is found in the cell wall of some actinomycetes, including Nocardia. DL-Diaminopimelic acid can be used as a reference material to detect markers of microbial origin in the rumen of ruminents like sheep. Meso-DAP is a precursor to L-lysine and a component of cell wall peptidoglycan in the bacterial cell wall.