Multiple Choice
Which microorganism would most likely display a characteristic swarming growth pattern on an agar plate, as shown in the image below?
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1. Introduction to Microbiology
Introduction to Microbiology
Multiple Choice
Which of the following best describes the mode of action of aminoglycosides?
A
They disrupt cell wall synthesis by inhibiting transpeptidase enzymes.
B
They inhibit protein synthesis by binding to the 30S ribosomal subunit.
C
They interfere with DNA gyrase, preventing DNA replication.
D
They inhibit folic acid synthesis by blocking dihydropteroate synthase.
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand the general mechanism of aminoglycosides. Aminoglycosides are a class of antibiotics known to target bacterial protein synthesis.
Step 2: Recall that bacterial ribosomes consist of two subunits: the 30S (small) and 50S (large) subunits. Different antibiotics target different subunits to inhibit protein synthesis.
Step 3: Recognize that aminoglycosides specifically bind to the 30S ribosomal subunit, causing misreading of mRNA and inhibiting the initiation of protein synthesis.
Step 4: Compare this mode of action with other antibiotic mechanisms: disruption of cell wall synthesis (e.g., beta-lactams), inhibition of DNA gyrase (e.g., fluoroquinolones), and inhibition of folic acid synthesis (e.g., sulfonamides).
Step 5: Conclude that the best description of aminoglycosides' mode of action is their inhibition of protein synthesis by binding to the 30S ribosomal subunit.
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