The only thing that Gram- and Gram+ have to do with antibiotics is that each stain can give a clue as to which antibiotic might work against the microbe being stained. The outer membrane of Gram-negative microbes prevents antibiotics from entering. Gram-negative bacteria include: E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella, Yersinia. These resistant to penicillin, streptomycin and ampicillin. Most infections due to Gram-positive organisms can be treated with quite a small number of antibiotics. Penicillin, cloxacillin, and erythromycin should be enough to cover 90 per cent of Gram-positive infections.