Bacterial cell walls, antibiotics and the origins of life
How do some bacteria fly under the radar of antibiotics and our immune system? The cell wall is found in almost all bacteria and is the target for our best antibiotics. However, many bacteria can switch into L-form without a cell wall and become completely resistant to many antibiotics. In this fascinating lecture, discover how studies of L-forms have revealed surprising insights into bacteria, and might even show how the earliest true cells on the planet evolved. 2015 Leeuwenhoek Lecture by Professor Jeff Errington FMedSci FRS on 'Bacterial cell walls, antibiotics and the origins of life'. 6:30 pm-7:30 pm on Tuesday 17 March 2015 at The Royal Society, London royalsociety.org/events/2015/03/leeuwenhoek-lecture/ Video thumbnail image: A group of bacterial cells switching from normal 'rod' shapes into strange bacterial variants called 'L-forms. © Patri Domínguez-Cuevas.
