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Microbiology and Pathogens

The action of antibiotics

  • 3 things to know
  • Papers 1 and 3

Overview

Recall questions on bactericidal and bacteriostatic antibiotics, how penicillin inhibits transpeptidase and causes osmotic lysis, how tetracycline blocks protein synthesis at 70S ribosomes, and why these antibiotics spare human cells.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started
Key term

Explain why inhibition of transpeptidase by penicillin leads to bacterial death.

Process

Which ribosomal subunit does tetracycline bind to?

Key term

What is a bactericidal antibiotic?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is a bactericidal antibiotic?

    Model answer

    An antibiotic that kills bacteria directly.

  2. 2

    What is a bacteriostatic antibiotic?

    Model answer

    An antibiotic that inhibits bacterial growth and reproduction without directly killing the bacteria.

  3. 3

    Name an example of a bactericidal antibiotic.

    Model answer

    Penicillin.

  4. 4

    Which enzyme does penicillin inhibit?

    Model answer

    Transpeptidase.

  5. 5

    What is the function of transpeptidase in bacteria?

    Model answer

    It cross-links peptidoglycan chains in bacterial cell walls.

  6. 6

    Explain why inhibition of transpeptidase by penicillin leads to bacterial death.

    Model answer

    Without transpeptidase, new cell wall cannot form properly during cell division; the weakened cell wall ruptures due to osmotic lysis.

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Oxidation means loss of electrons or hydrogen.
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