Antimicrobial agents are agents that kill off microbes or make them less harmful to other organisms like humans. They are classified into three types. The first type is Antibiotics, these are antimicrobial agents that come from other microbes and are used to kill bacteria. They are typically taken internally and they act differently depending on the organism. The second type is Antiseptics, these are microbial agents used on the skin and they are harmful to microbes. The third type is Disinfectants and these types of antimicrobial agents are used on inanimate objects like counter tops and they also kill and inactivate microbes.
In order to test how well antibiotics, antiseptics, and disinfectants work on two different types of bacteria (S. …show more content…
The antibiotic penicillin targets the cell wall synthesis by inhibiting the last step of biosynthesis. This happens because of the beta-lactam structure that is seen in penicillin which prevents peptidoglycan from crosslinking in the cell wall of bacteria. Eventually the bacteria cell wall will die because peptidoglycan no longer can give the cell protection and shape. The antibiotics tetracycline inhibits protein synthesis in the 30s subunits of RNA. This happens because the antibiotic binds to the 30s subunits of the ribosomal RNA where aminoacyl-tRNA normally would bind. When this happens, the bacteria cell cannot perform protein synthesis and dies. The antibiotic chloramphenicol also targets the protein synthesis of the bacteria cells. This happens because the antibiotic binds to a receptor on the 50s subunit which inhibits peptidyl transferase. This is the enzyme that leads to the formation of peptide bonds. Since the antibiotic prevents peptidyl transferase from binding, peptide bonds cannot be formed which is what proteins are made out of and therefore protein formation cannot take place. Since protein formation cannot take place the cells will die once they stop making protein. The final antibiotic that was used in our lab was erythromycin. Erythromycin inhibits protein synthesis in the 50s-ribosomal subunit just like chloramphenicol. Erythromycin inhibits protein synthesis by binding to …show more content…
The mechanism of action of antiseptic Listerine is the destruction of the cell wall, the inhibition of the enzymes and destruction of the liposaccharide (LPS). The four active ingredients of Listerine are Eucalyptol, Menthol, Thymol, and Methyl Salicylate. The mechanism of action of hydrogen peroxide is that it oxidizes cellular components. The active ingredients of hydrogen peroxide are molecules of oxygen and hydrogen. The mechanism of action for the disinfectant bleach is the destruction of cellular metabolism causing the death of the bacterial cell, its active ingredient is sodium hypochlorite. The final antimicrobial agent is Envirocide which has the active ingredient of isopropanol whose mechanism of action is causing membrane damage, destruction of cellular metabolism and lysis of the
In order to test how well antibiotics, antiseptics, and disinfectants work on two different types of bacteria (S. …show more content…
The antibiotic penicillin targets the cell wall synthesis by inhibiting the last step of biosynthesis. This happens because of the beta-lactam structure that is seen in penicillin which prevents peptidoglycan from crosslinking in the cell wall of bacteria. Eventually the bacteria cell wall will die because peptidoglycan no longer can give the cell protection and shape. The antibiotics tetracycline inhibits protein synthesis in the 30s subunits of RNA. This happens because the antibiotic binds to the 30s subunits of the ribosomal RNA where aminoacyl-tRNA normally would bind. When this happens, the bacteria cell cannot perform protein synthesis and dies. The antibiotic chloramphenicol also targets the protein synthesis of the bacteria cells. This happens because the antibiotic binds to a receptor on the 50s subunit which inhibits peptidyl transferase. This is the enzyme that leads to the formation of peptide bonds. Since the antibiotic prevents peptidyl transferase from binding, peptide bonds cannot be formed which is what proteins are made out of and therefore protein formation cannot take place. Since protein formation cannot take place the cells will die once they stop making protein. The final antibiotic that was used in our lab was erythromycin. Erythromycin inhibits protein synthesis in the 50s-ribosomal subunit just like chloramphenicol. Erythromycin inhibits protein synthesis by binding to …show more content…
The mechanism of action of antiseptic Listerine is the destruction of the cell wall, the inhibition of the enzymes and destruction of the liposaccharide (LPS). The four active ingredients of Listerine are Eucalyptol, Menthol, Thymol, and Methyl Salicylate. The mechanism of action of hydrogen peroxide is that it oxidizes cellular components. The active ingredients of hydrogen peroxide are molecules of oxygen and hydrogen. The mechanism of action for the disinfectant bleach is the destruction of cellular metabolism causing the death of the bacterial cell, its active ingredient is sodium hypochlorite. The final antimicrobial agent is Envirocide which has the active ingredient of isopropanol whose mechanism of action is causing membrane damage, destruction of cellular metabolism and lysis of the