Gram-negative bacteria have emerged that are resistant to most antibiotics, a troubling trend since a new class of antibiotics for Gram-negative pathogens has not been introduced in the clinic in 50 years. Central to the issue with discovering novel antibiotics for Gram-negative bacteria is the limited understanding of the physicochemical features that affect cell-membrane permeability and accumulation within these pathogens. As a result, we are interested in elucidating the physicochemical parameters necessary for small molecules to accumulate in Escherichia coli, a problematic Gram-negative pathogen.
