Prepare for the Medical Laboratory Science Module 1 Exam. Test your knowledge with flashcards and multiple-choice questions, complete with hints and explanations. Get confident for your test!

Multiple Choice

Domovg? Domagk’s antibiotic protonsil is a derivative of which class?

Protonsil (Prontosil) is a sulfonamide antibiotic. It acts as a prodrug that is converted in the body to sulfanilamide, the active component. Sulfonamides work by blocking bacterial folic acid synthesis: they resemble PABA and competitively inhibit dihydropteroate synthase, an enzyme bacteria use to make folate. Since bacteria need folate for DNA and RNA synthesis and humans obtain folate from their diet, sulfonamides selectively hinder bacterial growth. The other options correspond to different antibiotic classes with distinct targets: penicillins and cephalosporins are β-lactams that inhibit cell wall synthesis, and aminoglycosides interfere with protein synthesis at the 30S ribosomal subunit.

Protonsil (Prontosil) is a sulfonamide antibiotic. It acts as a prodrug that is converted in the body to sulfanilamide, the active component. Sulfonamides work by blocking bacterial folic acid synthesis: they resemble PABA and competitively inhibit dihydropteroate synthase, an enzyme bacteria use to make folate. Since bacteria need folate for DNA and RNA synthesis and humans obtain folate from their diet, sulfonamides selectively hinder bacterial growth.

The other options correspond to different antibiotic classes with distinct targets: penicillins and cephalosporins are β-lactams that inhibit cell wall synthesis, and aminoglycosides interfere with protein synthesis at the 30S ribosomal subunit.