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Multiple Choice
Which of the following antibiotics does not interfere with cell wall synthesis?
A
Penicillin
B
Vancomycin
C
Erythromycin
D
Cephalosporin
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the mechanism of action for each antibiotic listed. Antibiotics can target different parts of bacterial cells, such as cell wall synthesis, protein synthesis, nucleic acid synthesis, etc.
Penicillin and Cephalosporin are both beta-lactam antibiotics. They work by inhibiting the synthesis of the bacterial cell wall, leading to cell lysis and death.
Vancomycin is another antibiotic that interferes with cell wall synthesis. It binds to the D-alanyl-D-alanine terminus of cell wall precursor units, preventing their incorporation into the cell wall.
Erythromycin, on the other hand, is a macrolide antibiotic. It works by binding to the 50S subunit of the bacterial ribosome, inhibiting protein synthesis rather than cell wall synthesis.
Based on the mechanisms of action, identify that Erythromycin does not interfere with cell wall synthesis, unlike the other antibiotics listed.