Antibiotics which inhibit protein synthesis 'in prokaryotes will have the same effect in eukaryotes.

Question

Generally speaking, all the antibiotics which inhibit protein synthesis 'in prokaryotes will have the same effect in eukaryotes.

TRUE/FALSE

Answer 1

This is false. Such antibiotics are therapeutic precisely because they affect prokaryotes but not eukaryotes. It a doctor gave you an antibiotic that inhibited protein synthesis in your own eukaryotic cells it would poison you.

Penicillin does not inhibit the ribosome. It inhibits cell wall synthesis. Streptomycin binds to the ribosome.

Answer 2

False.  Many antibiotics (like penicilin) target the ribosomes of prokaryotes (which are different then eukaryotes).  

Answer 3

False - Because bacteria are prokaryotes, their protein synthesis differs fundamentally from the analogous process in eukaryotes. This makes protein synthesis an ideal target for antibacterial chemotherapy

Answer 4

This is not really a true/false question.  Antibiotics that inhibit bacterial protein synthesis often display some toxicity because the drugs also affect eukaryotic ribosomes, but with lower affinity. So they will inhibit eukaryotic protein synthesis, but to a much lower degree than prokaryotes.