Running Head: CELL BIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 1

Cell Biology and Biochemistry

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CELL BIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2

Cell Biology and Biochemistry

Penicillin, Tetracycline, Chloramphenicol, Sulfonamides, and vancomycin are antibiotics

used to cure bacterial infections. Penicillin prevents the cross-linking in the meeting of the

macromolecule, which causes the cell wall to be fragile and later burst killing the bacterium

present (Ahmed, 2017). The antibiotic does not prevent the biochemical process taking place in

the human body because our cells are eukaryotic hence containing a nucleus and other

membranes- bound organelle which the harmful bacteria do not contain sine they are prokaryotic

and hence have prokaryotic cells.

Tetracycline passes through the membrane and accumulates in the cytoplasm. They

concentrate on smaller ribosomal subunit and block RNA interaction, which stops the protein

chain from lengthening, and the prokaryotic cells become weak and die (Ahmed, 2017).

However, the antibiotic does not accumulate in sufficient concentrations in human cells to the

point of stopping protein synthesis, hence not causing harm to the eukaryotic cells present in the

body.

Chloramphenicol diffuses through the bacteria membrane and binds the bacteria

ribosome to prevent them from spreading and hence stopping bacteria growth in the body. It does

not affect the movement of normal human lymphocytes, which are guarded by the membrane

present in eukaryotic cells. Sulfonamides destroy metabolic pathways hence preventing the

prokaryotic cells from getting vitamins. Once Dihydropteroate synthase is stopped by the drug,

the bacteria no longer grow. Vancomycin alters cell membrane absorbency in the prokaryotic

cells by binding to the bacterial cell wall. Production of bacteria RNA synthesis is prevented

from proceeding; hence the prokaryotic cells in the bacteria die with time.
CELL BIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 3

Antibiotics would not be useful for treating viral infections because the structure of

viruses differs from the structure of bacteria in the body. Viruses multiply differently compared

to bacteria, and antibiotics only work to prevent the growth of the bacteria present and not

viruses because their growth machinery is different. The body’s immune system works to fight

viruses that are present in the body.

CELL BIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 4

References

Ahmed, M. J. (2017). Adsorption of quinolone, tetracycline, and penicillin antibiotics from

aqueous solution using activated carbons. Environmental toxicology and

pharmacology, 50, 1-10.