Analysis of peptidoglycan architecture in Gram positive bacteria

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The outer cell wall of bacteria is essential to hold the cells together and gives them their characteristic shapes. Peptidoglycan is the structural material responsible for maintaining cellular integrity for most bacteria and its synthesis is the site of action of some of the most important antibiotics (such as penicillin). Peptidoglycan is made of strands of sugars linked together by strings of amino acids. The structure of peptidoglycan is dynamic to allow for cell growth, division and many other features. Surprisingly we do not know how the chemical structure of the peptidoglycan leads to its final architecture, which of course is necessary for its essential functions. The project will take an integrated approach to determine the length of the sugar strands in the peptidoglycan and how this is involved in the ability of the polymer to maintain its role. The project will address a fundamental area of microbiology.