Tetracycline is an antibiotic that binds to the 30S subunit of the bacterial ribosome. This information suggests that the most likely mechanism by which tetracycline blocks bacterial growth is to inhibit synthesis of:
A) mRNA.
B) rRNA.
C) a specific bacterial protein.
D) a specific class of bacterial proteins.
E) all bacterial proteins.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Tetracycline binds to the 30S subunit of the bacterial ribosome, which is directly involved in the translation process of protein synthesis. By binding to this subunit, tetracycline inhibits the attachment of aminoacyl-tRNA to the ribosome, effectively blocking the addition of new amino acids to the growing polypeptide chain. This action inhibits the synthesis of all bacterial proteins, not just specific proteins or classes of proteins, thereby inhibiting bacterial growth.

Tetracycline Is an Antibiotic That Binds to the 30S Subunit