Antimicrobial targets

Cytoplasmic membrane

• Energy generation in bacteria - positive charge
• Target of lots of common antimicrobial agents e.g. ethanol

Cell wall

• Gram-positive bacteria: thick layer of peptidoglycan in cell wall retains primary Gram stain (purple)
• Gram-negative bacteria: thinner peptidoglycan layer, allows crystal violet to wash out and are stained by counterstain (pink)

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)

• Key component of endotoxin (part of outer membrane of cell wall in Gram-negative bacteria)
• Structural role
• Antigen and bacterial toxin
• Antibiotic uptake, inflammation

Factors for bacterial growth

• Food
• Temperature
• pH
• Osmotic protection
• Oxygen

Multicellularity