The development of antimicrobial agents, past, present and future -- Vulnerable shields-the cell walls of bacteria and fungi -- Antimicrobial agents and cell membranes -- Inhibitors of nucleic acid biosynthesis -- Inhibitors of protein biosynthesis -- Antimicrobial drugs with other modes of action -- Attack and defense: drug transport across cell walls and membranes -- The genetic basis of resistance to antimicrobial drugs -- Biochemical mechanisms of resistance to antimicrobial drugs. This stimulating new edition of the well-respected title Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Antimicrobial Drug Action primarily covers medically important antimicrobial agents, but also includes some compounds not in current medical use which have been invaluable as research tools in biochemistry. Since the previous edition, of this book, the impact of molecular biology on our understanding of the mechanisms of antimicrobial action and drug resistance has evolved significantly. This is reflected in the book's coverage with new material covering the remarkable recent developments in unraveling the complex molecular details of drug interactions with such key targets as ribosomes and the enzymes of nucleic acid replication and microbial cell wall biosynthesis. The new addition also reviews key advances in the biochemistry and molecular biology of drug-resistant pathogens including viruses, parasitic protozoa, fungi and the much feared 'superbugs' such as MRSA. Completely updated and rewritten, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Antimicrobial Drug Action will be of great use to medical and biological sciences students taking courses in pharmacology, molecular biology, microbiology, biochemistry and chemotherapeutics. Because of the wealth of information within the covers of this important book, all those involved in research into drug action and development, whether in the pharmaceutical industry or academia, will find Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Antimicrobial Drug Action invaluable. It should also be on the shelves of all libraries, in university medical schools and departments of biological sciences, biochemistry and pharmacology.