Antibiotic Mechanisms

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What are antibiotics?

Antibiotics are substances that kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria to treat infections.

How do beta-lactam antibiotics work?

Beta-lactam antibiotics interfere with bacterial cell wall synthesis.

What is the mechanism of action for macrolide antibiotics?

Macrolides inhibit protein synthesis by binding to the 50S subunit of the bacterial ribosome.

How do tetracycline antibiotics function?

Tetracyclines prevent protein synthesis by binding to the 30S ribosomal subunit.

What is the mode of action for fluoroquinolone antibiotics?

Fluoroquinolones inhibit bacterial DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV.

How do aminoglycoside antibiotics work against bacteria?

Aminoglycosides bind to the 30S ribosomal subunit, causing misreading of mRNA.

What is the action mechanism of sulfonamide antibiotics?

Sulfonamides inhibit folic acid synthesis by blocking PABA conversion.

Explain the mechanism of vancomycin.

Vancomycin inhibits cell wall synthesis by binding to D-alanyl-D-alanine termini of peptidoglycan precursors.

How does chloramphenicol exert its antibiotic effect?

Chloramphenicol inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by binding to the 50S ribosomal subunit.

What is the function of polymyxins?

Polymyxins disrupt bacterial cell membrane integrity leading to cell death.

How do oxazolidinones like linezolid work as antibiotics?

Oxazolidinones inhibit protein synthesis by preventing the formation of the initiation complex in bacterial ribosomes.

Describe the action of Rifamycins.

Rifamycins inhibit bacterial RNA synthesis by binding to RNA polymerase.

What are lincosamide antibiotics and their mechanism?

Lincosamides inhibit protein synthesis by binding to the 50S ribosomal subunit.

Explain the role of Daptomycin in bacterial inhibition.

Daptomycin disrupts bacterial cell membrane function by depolarizing it.

How do imidazole antibiotics like metronidazole work?

Imidazoles disrupt DNA function by forming toxic radicals that damage bacterial DNA.

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