Describe how β-lactam antibiotics (e.g. penicillins, carbapenems) harm or kill bacteria (research on your own).

Answer 1

B-lactam antibiotics irreversibly binds to the active sites of penicillin binding peptides (or PBPs) which ultimately prevents PBPs from cross linking (transpeptidation) of the peptidoglycan layer. As you might recall, the peptidoglycan layer is important for bacterial cell wall integrity. Loss of this cell wall integrity results in destruction of the bacteria.