What Role Do Catalysts Play in Antibiotic Mechanisms?
Antibiotics often function by disrupting essential bacterial processes, and these mechanisms frequently involve catalysis. For instance, [beta-lactam antibiotics]() like penicillin target bacterial cell wall synthesis by inhibiting the enzyme [transpeptidase](). This enzyme catalyzes the cross-linking of peptidoglycan strands, which are crucial for cell wall integrity. By binding to the active site of transpeptidase, beta-lactam antibiotics inhibit its catalytic function, leading to bacterial cell death.
