Antibiotics affecting Cell Wall Synthesis

Question 1

Functions of Cell Wall

Answer 1

1. Protects bacteria from osmotic shock
2. Maintains shape of bacteria
3. Assists in cell division
4. Mediates bacterial-host interactions

Question 2

Peptidoglycan

Answer 2

• heteropolymer of glycan chains cross linked by amino acids
• Unique to bacteria: target for antibiotics
• All bacteria except mycoplasm has it
• Amino sugars: MurNAc and GluNAc
• linked by beta 1,4 linkage: lysozyme cleaves here

Question 3

Park Nucleotide

Answer 3

-Pentapeptide side chain attached to Muramic acid
-Terminal D-Ala cleaved when cross link made
+provides energy for cross linking
-L-Alanine-D-Glutamic acid-L-Lysine-D-Alanine-D-Alanine