Inhibition of Bacterial Peptidoglycan Synthesis by Bacitracin

Abstract

As Dr. Strominger already pointed out in his lecture, bacitracin, a cyclic peptide antibiotic, interferes with bacterial peptidoglycan synthesis by inhibiting the hydrolysis of lipid pyrophosphate to lipid phosphate. It thus prevents the lipid carrier from further participating in the reaction cycle of peptidoglycan synthesis. Instead, lipid pyrophosphate accumulates [1].