Discovery and Development of Antibacterial Peptidoglycan Hydrolase Inhibitors

The growing number of bacterial infections and the rise of antibiotic resistance require approaches for antimicrobial development. Peptidoglycan, essential for maintaining the integrity and shape of the bacterial cell wall, is regulated by the coordinated activity of peptidoglycan synthesis and remodeling enzymes. While peptidoglycan synthesis enzymes have served as antibiotic targets for decades, peptidoglycan hydrolases have remained largely underexplored. Here, we review recent advances in the development of small-molecule inhibitors of peptidoglycan hydrolases as antimicrobial targets.