Can Some Antibiotics Target Bacterial Cell Membranes Specifically?

💡 The Answer

• Polymyxins disrupt the lipopolysaccharides in Gram‑negative bacterial membranes.
• Daptomycin inserts into Gram‑positive membranes, depolarizing them and killing cells.
• Human cell membranes have different lipid composition, reducing collateral damage.
• This selectivity makes such antibiotics valuable against drug‑resistant infections.