All pencillins act by: September 2007: (A) Inhibiting protein synthesis, (B) Inhibiting cell wall synthesis, (C) Antifolate, (D) Inhibitis DNA gyrase
Answer is B. Ans. B: Inhibiting cell wall synthesis All penicillin derivatives produce their bacteriocidal effects by inhibition of bacterial cell wall synthesis. Specifically, the cross linking of peptides on the mucosaccharide chains is prevented. If cell walls are improperly made cell walls allow water to flow into the cell causing it to burst and bacterial lysis occurs.