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Multiple Choice
Which of the following cellular components is the target of erythromycin and tetracycline in bacterial cells?
A
Plasma membrane
B
Ribosomes
C
Cell wall
D
DNA polymerase
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the mechanism of action of erythromycin and tetracycline. Both are antibiotics that target bacterial protein synthesis.
Recognize that protein synthesis occurs at the ribosomes, which are the cellular components responsible for translating mRNA into proteins.
Erythromycin binds to the 50S subunit of the bacterial ribosome, inhibiting the translocation step in protein synthesis.
Tetracycline binds to the 30S subunit of the bacterial ribosome, preventing the attachment of aminoacyl-tRNA to the mRNA-ribosome complex.
Conclude that the target of both erythromycin and tetracycline in bacterial cells is the ribosomes, as they interfere with the process of protein synthesis.