18.01.3 Inhibitors of Bacterial Cell Wall Synthesis

The cell wall of bacteria is a semi-rigid structure. The cell wall not only determines the shape of the organism, but also contains the cell contents necessary for survival. Anything that weakens the structure of the cell wall can cause the bacterium to break apart which will kill it. These agents are usually bacteriocidal. Figure 18.1 outlines the steps involved in the synthesis of the bacterial cell wall and where antibacterial agents can act to inhibit this process.

Figure 18.1 Steps involved in the synthesis of the bacterial cell wall (Copyright Monash University, Elizabeth Davis)