Glossary
Browse the glossary using this index
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pathogenicCapable of causing disease. | |
penicillinaseThe first identified β-lactamase. It hydrolyses and destroys penicillin but not other β-lactam antibiotics such as cephalosporins. | |
penicillin-binding protein 2a (abbreviated to PBP2a)A penicillin-binding protein with low affinity for penicillin and other β-lactams. | |
penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs)Bacterial enzymes that are essential for bacterial cell wall synthesis. They are the target of β-lactam antibiotics. | |
peptidoglycanA major component of bacterial cell walls. A large polymer, consisting of sugars and amino acids, that forms a mesh-like layer outside the bacterial cell membrane. | |
phage therapyTreatment for bacterial infections that exploits the ability of bacteriophages to lyse and kill the bacteria they infect. | |
pharmacological propertiesThe characteristics of a drug that relate to how it is used and its effects in the body. | |
pH indicatorA chemical compound that changes colour in solution, depending on the pH (acidity) of the solution they are mixed with. | |
phytochemicalChemicals produced by plants. Many phytochemicals have antibacterial properties. | |
pilusA thin hollow tube extension of the bacterial cell wall that connects bacteria and is involved in horizontal gene transfer via conjugation. | |