▁highly ▁developed ▁v asc ular ▁plants . ▁This ▁is ▁supporting ▁the ▁end os ym bi otic ▁theory ▁and ▁indicates ▁an ▁evolution ▁of ▁pl ast id ▁division ▁in ▁land ▁plants . ▁ ▁Under ▁normal ▁circumstances , ▁pe pt id og ly can ▁prec urs ors ▁signal ▁a ▁re organisation ▁of ▁the ▁b acter ial ▁cell ▁wall ▁and , ▁as ▁a ▁consequence , ▁trigger ▁the ▁activation ▁of ▁aut ol yt ic ▁cell ▁wall ▁hyd rol ases . ▁In hib ition ▁of ▁cross - link age ▁by ▁ β - la ct ams ▁causes ▁a ▁build - up ▁of ▁pe pt id og ly can ▁prec urs ors , ▁which ▁triggers ▁the ▁dig estion ▁of ▁existing ▁pe pt id og ly can ▁by ▁aut ol yt ic ▁hyd rol ases ▁without ▁the ▁production ▁of ▁new ▁pe pt id og ly can . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁the ▁b acter ic idal ▁action ▁of ▁ β - la ct am ▁ant ib iot ics ▁is ▁further ▁en hanced . ▁ ▁Pot ency ▁ ▁Two ▁struct ural ▁features ▁of ▁ β - la ct am ▁ant ib iot ics ▁have ▁been ▁correl ated ▁with ▁their ▁ant ib i otic ▁pot ency . ▁The ▁first ▁is ▁known ▁as ▁" W ood ward ' s ▁parameter ", ▁h , ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁height ▁( in ▁ang st rom s ) ▁of ▁the ▁py ram id ▁formed ▁by ▁the ▁nit ro gen ▁atom ▁of ▁the ▁ β - la ct am ▁as ▁the ▁a pe x ▁and ▁the ▁three ▁adjacent ▁carbon