Multivalent choline dendrimers as potent inhibitors of pneumococcal cell wall hydrolysis

Dendritic cell wall mimics are choline-binding proteins from Streptococcus pneumoniae recognize distinctive multivalent choline architectures on the bacterial cell wall. Choline-functionalized dendrimers are potent inhibitors of these essential enzymes, with a 103-104-fold higher affinity than free choline, resulting in inhibition of autolysis and cell sepn. in bacterial cultures at low micromolar concns