Question

Antibiotic such as penicillin blocks _______.
1. cell wall formation in bacteria
2. RNA synthesis in bacteria
3. DNA synthesis in bacteria
4. division in bacteria

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 1 : cell wall formation in bacteria

The correct answer is cell wall formation in bacteria.

• A broad-spectrum antibiotic can be defined as an antibiotic that is effective against a wide variety of microorganisms.
• The mechanism of action of all the antibiotics varies.
• For example, some antibiotics inhibit the cell wall synthesis in bacteria.
• Penicillin is an example of antibiotics that inhibit cell wall synthesis. Hence, the correct answer is option 1.
• Antiviral medicines like oseltamivir, zanamivir and peramivir can be used to treat influenza. Aureomycin is the first identified tetracyclin. It is not used to treat influenza.

• Antibiotics:
  • Antibiotics are antimicrobial drugs obtained from other organisms (such as molds, fungus, and some soil bacteria) to combat harmful microorganisms. However, they are not very useful against certain microbes such as viruses.
  • Antibiotics are produced on a large scale by the fermentation process.
  • This is a chemical process that is induced by the microorganisms in a large tank.
  • A large tank contains the growth medium that provides nutrition for the microorganism’s growth.
  • Optimization of temperature, pH levels, oxygen, and nutrient parameter in the fermentation tank is very crucial to produce antibiotics.
  • After the completion of antibiotics production, they are extracted and purified through multiple physical processes.
  • Finally, the purified antibiotics are converted into crystal form.
• Penicillin:
  • Penicillin was the first-ever true antibiotic and it was discovered by a Scottish bacteriologist, Alexander Fleming in 1928.
  • It was widely used to treat the different types of bacterial infections that plagued man.
  • Penicillin was an accidental discovery, but it was a landmark discovery in the field of medicine.
  • Penicillin is acquired from a mold called Penicillium notatum (also known as Penicillium chrysogenum).
• Types of Penicillin:
  • There are different types of penicillin, which are grouped based on their effectiveness.
  • Penicillin VK and Penicillin G are natural Penicillin
  • Penicillin VK – It is used to fight against bacterial infections. Example: Ear infection.
  • Penicillin G – More effective against gram-positive and gram-negative cocci bacterial infections. Example: susceptible bacterial infections in the stomach.