Antimicrobial
Fosfomycin
MurA inhibitor of early cell-wall synthesis
fos-foh-MY-sin
High-yield clue
Fosfomycin blocks MurA at the very first step of peptidoglycan synthesis, upstream of the enzymes beta-lactams target.
Overview
A phosphonic-acid antimicrobial studied for irreversibly inhibiting MurA (enolpyruvyl transferase), the first committed step of peptidoglycan synthesis.
Classification
- Cell-wall synthesis inhibitor
- Inhibits MurA (UDP-GlcNAc enolpyruvyl transferase)
- Bactericidal
- Broad Gram-positive/Gram-negative
Lab & identification clues
- Earliest-step peptidoglycan inhibition concept
- Uptake via GlpT / UhpT transporters vocabulary
- Urinary concentration for single-dose study framing
Associations
- Lower urinary tract study association
- Retained activity against many MDR/ESBL organisms
- Distinct target avoids beta-lactam cross-resistance concept
Commonly confused with
- Nitrofurantoin
- Beta-lactams
Your notes
Original mechanism summary for microbiology study. Sources checked: CDC antimicrobial-resistance guidance, NCBI Bookshelf Medical Microbiology, and standard coursework frameworks; reviewed 2026-06. Covers class, mechanism, and resistance vocabulary only; no prescribing, dosing, or patient-specific treatment guidance.