Antibacterials

1) What is the structure of bacteria?

2) How did Alexander Fleming discover penicillin?

While working at St. Marys Hospital Medical School at Oxford University,
Fleming noticed a mold, penicillium notatum, growing on a culture plate of
bacteria in September 1928. Around this particular mold on the culture plate,
there was a clear space where the colonies of bacteria seemed to have dissolved.
He concluded that the substance was killing the bacteria, and although he was
not involved in developing its use in medicine, extensive research at Oxford
University continued and the drug began to be used widely from around 1944.

3) How does penicillin kill bacteria?

Penicillin essentially kills bacteria by destroying the cell wall of bacteria; it does
this by deactivating an enzyme that is important in maintaining the structure of
the bacteria cell wall. The enzyme, known as transpeptidase, accepts the
penicillin as a substrate, resulting in a reaction that renders the enzyme
ineffective. Cell wall construction stops. As the bacteria lengthen during mitosis,
they rupture due to the weak cell wall.

4) What is penicillin resistance?

Penicillin has a beta-lactam, or b-lactam ring in its molecule that makes it an
effective antibiotic. However, bacteria become resistant to penicillin by
Bacteria are single-cell
organisms. They contain DNA
which can be found in the
cytoplasm or the nucleus in the
cytoplasm. This cytoplasm is
where chemical processes take
place, and it is surrounded by a
plasma membrane. This in turn
is surrounded by a cell wall,
which has several branch like
structures coming out of it
named pilli, which help
adherence to surfaces and the
transfer of DNA between cells.
The flagella, which are whip-
like tails that also protrude
from the cell wall, help in the
bacterias movement.
manufacturing the enzyme b-lactamase, which attacks the b-lactam ring in the
penicillin.

5) What is the effect of over-prescription?

Over-prescription is the overuse of antibiotics when treating illnesses.
Sometimes, people take antibacterials even when the infection is viral, which
means the antibacterial has no effect whatsoever on their disease. This overuse
can leads to bacteria becoming more resistant to antibiotics treatment, since
either they mutate and gain more effective defense mechanisms, or the
antibacterials kill only the weaker bacteria in the body, leaving the more potent
ones to survive.