BIOLOGY FORUM WEEK 5

1. What do you think the experimental question is? The experimental question should be “Which antibiotic is most effective against Staphylococcus aureus” PAGE 9 2. What are the differences in how E-lactam antibiotics and vancomycin work? Bacteria has a cell wall which protects it from the “normal” environment of the body. The molecules which reinforce the cell walls are called peptidoglycans. Vancomycin blocks the forming of peptidoglycans, making the bacteria walls weak and ultimately dead (Gardete & Tomasz, 2014). Beta Lactams penetrate the walls to affect the bacteria inside, but also blocks the bacteria from growing ultimately ending in cell lysis. In this blocking process, transpeptidation is blocked as well (The Genetic Learning Science Center, n.d.) . 3. What other mechanisms might arise to allow resistance to the E-lactam antibiotics? Antibiotics of Beta lactam contain a beta lactam ring in the structure (The Genetic Learning Science Center, n.d.). The beta lactamase breaks bonds of the beta lactam ring, which can not only prevent the antibiotic from working, but in fact, make it worse. This isn’t the only thing, however. Anybody can become resistant to the antibiotics depending on the chemicals present in their bodies but using antibiotics for a long period of time can naturally create a resistance through bacterial cell mutation. 4. Could resistance arise to vancomycin? Why or why not The presence of lactic acid bacteria called Entercoccus which is present in the human intestines can causes resistance to vancomycin. However, a resistance of vancomycin can also develop in the presence of the mecA gene which can be transferred through bacteria via plasmid vector. This happens and prevents vancomycin from binding on the peptidoglycan of the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (Gardete & Tomasz, 2014). Gardete, S., & Tomasz, A. (2014, July 01). Mechanisms of vancomycin res