Sandbox 128

Introduction Peptidoglycan transpeptidase (TP) also known as penicillin-binding proteins (PBP), are essential for bacterial cell wall synthesis and catalyze the cross-linking of peptidoglycan polymers during bacterial wall synthesis. Beta-lactam antibiotics[1], which includes the penicillins,cephalosporins,carbapenems, and the monobactam aztreonam (Figure 1); bind and irreversibly inhibit the active site of TP. The overuse and misuse of b-lactam antibiotics has led to strains of Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) that are resistant to all currently available b-lactams and are often susceptible to so-called "last resort antibiotics", such as vancomycin.