Cephalosporins, Vancomycin, Bacitracin

Question 1

Cephalosporins, vancomycin, and bacitracin all work by inhibiting _

Answer 1

Cephalosporins, vancomycin, and bacitracin all work by inhibiting cell wall synthesis

Question 2

Cephalosporins are in a class of drugs called _

Answer 2

Cephalosporins are in a class of drugs called beta-lactams

Question 3

The bacterial cell wall is made up of a substance called peptidoglycan which has two components, _ and _

Answer 3

The bacterial cell wall is made up of a substance called peptidoglycan which has two components, glycan and peptide bridge
* The glycan is either N-acetyl-D-glucosamine or N-acetylmuramic acid (NAGs and NAMs)

Question 4

NAG and NAM (glycans) are made in the _ and eventually transported to the _

Answer 4

NAG and NAM (glycans) are made in the cytosol and eventually transported to the cell wall

Question 5

What are the steps of NAM and NAG transport to the cell wall?

Answer 5

1. NAM joins the lipid bactoprenol at the membrane surface
2. NAG joins the bactoprenol-NAM group
3. Bactoprenol-NAM-NAG unit gets transported across the membrane to the outer cell wall –> serves as an additional unit to the growing peptidoglycan chain

Question 6

Once the chains of the peptidoglycan are constructed, they get cross-linked via _ enzymes

Answer 6

Once the chains of the peptidoglycan are constructed, they get cross-linked via transpeptidases

Question 7

Bacitracin inhibits peptidoglycan synthesis, specifically by blocking _

Answer 7

Bacitracin inhibits peptidoglycan synthesis, specifically by blocking NAM from joining bactoprenol –> stops the synthesis of any new peptidoglycan units

Question 8

Vancomycin inhibits peptidoglycan synthesis, specifically by blocking _

Answer 8

Vancomycin inhibits peptidoglycan synthesis, specifically by blocking NAM-NAG units from adding to the existing peptidoglycan chain

Question 9

Penicillins and cabapenems prevent _

Answer 9

Penicillins and cabapenems prevent cross-linking of existing chains by inhibiting the transpeptidase enzymes –> makes it impossible for layers to form –> results in a weak bacterial cell wall that is prone to lysis

Question 10

There are five generations of cephalosporins; in general as generations progress, they are more effective at treating _ type bacteria

Answer 10

There are five generations of cephalosporins; in general as generations progress, they are more effective at treating gram-negative bacteria