Question

Initially, GC was treated with penicillin, which targets ________, and tetracycline which targets ________.

1) protein synthesis; peptidoglycan synthesis
2) peptidoglycan synthesis; protein synthesis
3) protein synthesis; capsule formation
4) capsule formation; ergosterol formation
5) cell membrane integrity; folic acid synthesis

Answer 1

Penicillin targets peptidoglycan synthesis in bacterial cell walls, while tetracycline targets protein synthesis by interfering with tRNA attachment to the bacterial ribosome. The correct match is option 2) peptidoglycan synthesis; protein synthesis.

Step-by-step explanation:

Initially, GC (gonococcal infection) was treated with penicillin, which targets peptidoglycan synthesis, and tetracycline, which targets protein synthesis. Therefore, the correct answer is: 1) peptidoglycan synthesis; protein synthesis.

Penicillin is a type of antibiotic that works by interfering with the synthesis of bacterial cell walls. More specifically, it inhibits the cross-linking of peptidoglycan layers, which is crucial to maintaining the cell wall integrity of bacteria. This leads to the weakening of the cell wall and typically results in the cell bursting due to osmotic pressure.

Tetracycline, on the other hand, is known to impair bacterial protein synthesis. It exerts its effect by binding to the 30S subunit of the bacterial ribosome, which blocks the binding of tRNA and subsequently prevents the addition of amino acids to the growing polypeptide chain, thereby inhibiting protein synthesis.

Answer 2

Penicillin targets peptidoglycan synthesis, thereby affecting cell wall formation in bacteria, while tetracycline targets protein synthesis by preventing tRNA from binding to the ribosomal subunit in bacteria. The correct answer to the student's question is option 2.

Step-by-step explanation:

Initially, GC was treated with penicillin, which targets peptidoglycan synthesis, and tetracycline which targets protein synthesis. Penicillins, including penicillin G and penicillin V, exert their bactericidal effects by inhibiting bacterial cell wall synthesis. This is achieved by the prevention of cross-linking of peptides on the monosaccharide chains in the cell wall, which can lead to cell bursting due to improper wall formation.

Tetracyclines, on the other hand, inhibit bacterial protein synthesis by blocking the binding of tRNA to the 30S ribosomal subunit during translation. This prevents the association of tRNAs with the ribosome, which is crucial for the synthesis of proteins in bacteria. Tetracyclines, like doxycycline, are bacteriostatic and selectively target bacterial protein synthesis without affecting the host organism's cells to a significant extent, as eukaryotic cells do not possess a tetracycline uptake mechanism.

The correct answer to the question is option 2: penicillin targets peptidoglycan synthesis and tetracycline targets protein synthesis. This reflects the unique mechanisms by which these antibiotics inhibit vital processes in bacteria, leading to their death or inhibition of growth.