Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) exhibits specific antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria without detectable resistance.

We report here the antimicrobial ability of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) against Gram-positive bacteria without detectable resistance. Microscopy imaging and gene analysis reveal that the bacterial cell wall is the target of TBBPA. Structure-activity studies of TBBPA and its analogues relate the observed antimicrobial activity to the halogen substitution neighboring the phenolic hydroxyl group.