Antibiotic Action and Peptidoglycan Formation on Tethered Lipid Bilayer Membranes

At the end of its tether: Solid-supported tethered lipid bilayers that present native versions of the peptidoglycan precursors lipid I and lipid II are used to compare the binding of vancomycin and ramoplanin. Through the use of E. coli inner membranes, the resulting “proteolipid layer” contains the full range of intrinsic and extrinsic proteins found in vivo, thus allowing the in vitro biosynthesis of a peptidoglycan cell wall. E=enzyme.