Microbiology · Chapter 9

The Five Antibiotic Targets

An antibacterial drug works by striking a structure the bacterium needs to survive — ideally one your own cells don't have. Tap each of the five classic targets on the cell to see the drugs that hit there and why it works.

Pick a target

Tap a numbered target on the cell, or choose from the list →

Five drug targetstap a number on the cell

Selective toxicityA good antibiotic hits a target that bacteria have and we don't — or one different enough from ours to be struck safely. That principle explains why some of these five targets are far safer than others.