Tag: Transpeptidase

In 2019, MRSA (a bacterium with altered penicillin-binding proteins) was responsible for over 100,000 deaths globally [1.8.5]. **What are penicillin-binding proteins in the cell wall?** They are essential enzymes that build and maintain the peptidoglycan layer, which gives the bacterial cell its structural integrity [1.2.1, 1.2.2].

Penicillin is a bactericidal antibiotic that acts by interfering with bacterial cell wall synthesis. By blocking the cross-linking of peptidoglycan, penicillin affects the cell wall, causing it to lose its structural integrity and leading to cell death.