The cellular targets of penicillins are the so called penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs). Alterations in these enzymes that reduce their affinity for penicillins have been recognized as the major penicillin-resistance mechanism operating in S. pneumoniae. We study how these proteins functions and contribute to resistance, in addition to searching for other factors affecting penicillin susceptibility in pneumococci.

Associated project: Disentangling penicillin resistance and compentsatory adaption in pneumococci by combining genomics and molecular microbiology