You are viewing a free preview of this lesson.
Subscribe to unlock all 10 lessons in this course and every other course on LearningBro.
In this lesson you will learn about antibiotics, why they only work against bacteria, the critical problem of antibiotic resistance, and the difference between antibiotics, antiseptics, and disinfectants. This is one of the most frequently examined topics in GCSE Biology.
Antibiotics are chemicals that kill bacteria or stop them from reproducing inside the body. They are used to treat bacterial infections.
Antibiotics target structures and processes found in bacterial cells but not in human cells:
| Target | How the antibiotic works | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Cell wall synthesis | Prevents bacteria from building or maintaining their cell walls → the cell bursts (lysis) | Penicillin |
| Protein synthesis | Blocks bacterial ribosomes from making proteins → bacteria cannot grow or reproduce | Tetracycline, erythromycin |
| DNA replication | Prevents bacteria from copying their DNA → cannot reproduce | Ciprofloxacin |
| Metabolic pathways | Interferes with essential chemical reactions in the bacterium | Trimethoprim |
Subscribe to continue reading
Get full access to this lesson and all 10 lessons in this course.