Question
Tetracycline inhibits the
The correct answer is
binding of amino-acyl tRNA to ribosome
Tetracycline Mechanism: Inhibiting Protein Synthesis
Tetracycline is an antibiotic medication used to treat various bacterial infections. Its effectiveness comes from selectively inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis.
Mode of Action
Tetracycline targets the bacterial ribosome, specifically the 30S ribosomal subunit. Its primary mechanism is:
- Inhibiting the binding of amino-acyl tRNA to the A (aminoacyl) site of the ribosome.
This prevents the correct amino acid, carried by the tRNA, from entering the ribosome to be added to the growing polypeptide chain. Consequently, protein synthesis is halted.
Analysis of Options
- Option 1: interaction between tRNA and mRNA - This involves codon-anticodon pairing, which Tetracycline does not directly inhibit.
- Option 2: translocation of mRNA through ribosome - This step, moving the ribosome along the mRNA, is inhibited by other antibiotics (e.g., macrolides), not Tetracycline.
- Option 3: peptidyl transferase activity - This activity forms peptide bonds and is inhibited by drugs like chloramphenicol.
- Option 4: binding of amino-acyl tRNA to ribosome - This is the precise step inhibited by Tetracycline, as explained above.
Therefore, Tetracycline's action is specifically preventing the delivery of new amino acids to the ribosome via tRNA.
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Important Questions from Antibiotics and Antimicrobial Resistance
- Which of the following statement(s) is(are) TRUE about fluoroquinolone drugs?
- Which of the following antimicrobial agent(s) is/are growth factor analog(s)?
- A list of pathogens (Group I) and a list of anti-microbial agents (Group II) used to treat their infections are given below. Match the pathogens with the corresponding anti-microbial agents.
Group I Group II [P] Influenza A virus 1. Isoniazid [Q] Fungus 2. Amantadine [R] Plasmodium 3. Fluconazole [S] Mycobacterium 4. Artemisinin 5. Iodoquinol Match the antibiotics in Group I with their modes of action in Group II.
Group I Group II P) Chloramphenicol 1) Inhibits protein synthesis by acting on 30S ribosomal subunit Q) Rifampicin 2) Interferes with DNA replication by inhibiting DNA gyrase R) Tetracycline 3) Inhibits protein synthesis by acting on 50S ribosomal subunit S) Quinolone 4) Interferes with RNA polymerase activity 5) Inhibits $\beta$-lactamase activity - Match the antibioticsinGroup Iwith the targets inGroup II.
Group I Group II P. Sulfonamide 1. Peptidoglycan synthesis Q. Quinolones 2. Peptide chain elongation R. Erythromycin 3. Folic acid biosynthesis S. Cephalosporin 4. Topoisomerase
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