Antibiotics Flashcards
Antimicrobial
Interferes with growth and reproduction of a microbe
Bactericidal
Kills bacteria
Bacteriostatic
Halts bacterial growth, but does not kill bacteria
What is the most essential component to efficacy of an antibiotic?
Selective toxicity (bacteria harmed but not the host)
The bacteria structure targeted must be..
Not present in host
Different to that in the host
Or with differential access in host and bacterium
The four main antibiotic targets are…
Cell wall, nucleic acids, ribosomes and cell membranes
Wide spectrum vs narrow spectrum antibiotics
Wide spectrum - target many different bacterial types
Narrow spectrum target one individual type
What two types inhibit cell wall synthesis?
Beta-lactams
Glycopeptides
Beta lactam examples
Penicillin, amoxicillin
Beta lactam function
Block peptide cross-linking in growing cell wall, prevent PG synthesis
Target of beta-lactams (penicillin)
Target penicillin binding proteins, which are required for proteoglycan synthesis
Transpeptidase are penicillin binding proteins which are targets of Beta lactam antibiotics.
Similar in structure to D-alanyl-D-alanine peptide of proteoglycan cross link, so binds in active site for transpeptidase enzyme - preventing final cross-linking step.
Beta lactam resistance
Resistance results from bacteria using D-lactate instead of alanine in PG
Is beta lactam bactericidal or bacteriostatic?
Bactericidal but kills cells only when they are growing. For example, no growth, no cross linking needs to occur.
Glycopeptide example
Vancomycin
Role of glycopeptide antibiotics
Large hydrophilic molecule, forms hydrogen bonds with terminal D-alanyl-D-alanine, peptide of proteoglycan cross links.
Targets PG itself so only active on gram positive bacteria.
Is glycopeptide bactericidal or bacteriostatic?
Bacteriostatic
3 bacterial protein synthesis (ribosome) inhibiting antibiotics (and examples)
Macrolides (erythromycin)
Aminoglycosides (gentamicin, tetracycline, streptomycin)
Chloramphenicol
Macrolide action
Inhibit transcription by binding to 50s subunit and prevent escape of tRNA once it has donated its amino acid. Thus, new tRNA cannot attach.
Bacteriostatic
Aminoglycoside action
Inhibition of the initiation complex and of messenger RNA.
No translation and no protein production
Bacteriostatic
Chloramphenicol action
Inhibits peptidyl transferase, preventing synthesis of new peptide bonds, selectively bacteria as binds to 50s subunit not human 60s.
Bacteriostatic
Why are ribosomes an appropriate antibiotic target?
Ribosomes are a key target as very different sizes in eukaryotes and prokaryotes.
Bacteria (30s and 50s unit), humans (60s and 40s unit).
Inhibitor of transcription antibiotic example
Rifamycin (rifampicin)
Rifamycin action
Inhibitors of (m)RNA synthesis, by affecting bacterial RNA polymerase without affecting RNA pol of human cells.
Anti-tuberculosis
Bactericidal
What antibiotic inhibits folate metabolism (and DNA synthesis?
2,4-diaminopyridines (i.e trimethoprim)