Question

question 24 of 25
how do beta-lactam antibiotics kill sensitive bacteria?
○ by attracting water into cells
○ by destabilizing the cell membrane
○ by destabilizing the cell wall
○ by preventing dna replication during bacterial reproduction
○ all of these, depending on the specific strain of bacteria

Explanation:

Beta-lactam antibiotics inhibit penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) that synthesize peptidoglycan, a key component of bacterial cell walls. Without intact peptidoglycan, the cell wall loses structural integrity, leading to cell lysis. Other options describe mechanisms of different antibiotic classes (e.g., osmotic lysis by some agents, membrane disruption by polymyxins, DNA replication inhibition by quinolones). Thus, the correct mechanism is destabilizing the cell wall.

Answer:

C. by destabilizing the cell wall