Question

Some antibiotics can harm a cell's ribosomes. Which of the following would you predict to be the most likely long-term effect of damage to ribosomes?

Errors would be made during DNA replication, resulting in mutations and defects in the cell.
Proteins would not be modified after being synthesized, so they would not function properly.
The cell would not be able to create the proteins needed for important functions and growth.
Waste products would not be broken down and disposed of properly, causing the cell to die.

Answer 1

Antibiotics such as tetracycline and chloramphenicol impede protein synthesis by affecting tRNA binding and peptide bond formation, respectively. The most likely long-term effect is a cell's inability to produce proteins, critical for survival and growth.

Step-by-step explanation:

Effects of Antibiotics on Ribosomes and Protein Synthesis.Antibiotics like tetracycline and chloramphenicol target ribosomes, which are essential for protein synthesis. Specifically, tetracycline inhibits tRNA from binding to the ribosome, thereby preventing the addition of amino acids to the growing protein chain. On the other hand, chloramphenicol blocks peptidyl transfer, which is a critical step in forming peptide bonds between amino acids, thus also inhibiting the growth of the protein chain. The long-term effect of damage to ribosomes as a result of antibiotic exposure would most likely be the cell's inability to create proteins needed for functions and growth. Without functional ribosomes, the protein synthesis process is interrupted, leading to a halt in the production of essential proteins and consequent impairment of cell function and replication.