What are the effects of antibiotics on prokaryotes?
Antibiotics are a class of drugs used to treat bacterial infections by either killing the
bacteria or inhibiting their growth. These drugs have been instrumental in the control
of infectious diseases, however, their misuse and overuse have led to the
emergence of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria. Antibiotics target specific
processes or structures within prokaryotic cells, but they may also have unintended
effects on non-targeted processes or non-pathogenic bacteria.
Antibiotics work by targeting specific bacterial processes, such as cell wall formation,
protein synthesis, nucleic acid synthesis, or metabolic pathways. For example,
penicillin targets cell wall synthesis, a process unique to bacteria, by inhibiting the
cross-linking of peptidoglycan, a major component of the cell wall. Other antibiotics,
such as tetracyclines or macrolides, target bacterial ribosomes and inhibit protein
synthesis.
While antibiotics have been successful in treating bacterial infections, they can also
have negative effects on non-targeted processes or non-pathogenic bacteria. For
example, antibiotics can disrupt the natural microbiota in the gut, leading to a variety
of side effects such as diarrhea, nausea, and other gastrointestinal disturbances.
Antibiotics can also select for antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can spread to other
individuals and contribute to the global emergence of antibiotic-resistant infections.
To mitigate the negative effects of antibiotics, it is important to use them
appropriately and only when necessary. This means avoiding unnecessary use of
antibiotics for viral infections or simple bacterial infections that can be treated with
other methods. Additionally, efforts are being made to develop new antibiotics or
alternative therapies that target bacterial virulence factors or host immune responses
rather than the bacteria themselves.
References:
1. World Health Organization. (2015). Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance.
Retrieved from https://www.who.int/antimicrobial-resistance/global-action-plan/en/
2. Lewis, K. (2013). Platforms for antibiotic discovery. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery,
12(5), 371-387.
3. MacFaddin, J. F. (2000). Biochemical tests for identification of medical bacteria. Lippincott
Williams & Wilkins.