Correlating SANS and SESANS to study membrane and morphology changes in Bacteria (continuation)

Bacteria and the infections they cause are a huge problem due to the advent of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). To kill bacteria with greater efficacy and limit the rate at which AMR develops we must better understand the nanostructures bacteria have developed to protect themselves. To do this requires us to study the bacteria outer cell walls that provide them with such amazing mechanical integrity. We have recently shown that we can measure changes in the size and volume of bacteria using SESANS as well as changes in the bacterial celll wall nanostructure using SANS. In this new proposal we plan to probe the kinetics of this process along the bacterial growth curve and using different exposure times to the antibiotic methicllin.