Antibiotics and Antibiotic Resistance

These flashcards cover key concepts and vocabulary related to antibiotics and antibiotic resistance as discussed in the lecture notes.

Antibiotics

Medications that inhibit the growth of or destroy bacteria.

Sulfonamides

The first commercially used antibiotics that interfere with the synthesis of folic acid in bacteria.

Penicillin

The antibiotic discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928, effective against various bacterial infections.

Peptidoglycan

A key structural component of the cell wall in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

β-lactams

A class of antibiotics that includes penicillin, which disrupts cell wall synthesis.

Resistance

The ability of bacteria to survive treatments with antibiotics that were once effective.

Plasmids

Extra-chromosomal pieces of DNA in bacteria that can carry antibiotic resistance genes.

Biofilm

A structured community of bacteria embedded in a protective matrix, contributing to antibiotic resistance.

Dysbiosis

An imbalance in the microbial communities, often as a result of antibiotic overuse.

Superbugs

Bacteria that have developed resistance to multiple antibiotics, posing significant treatment challenges.

MRSA

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a prominent example of a superbug.

Horizontal gene transfer

The movement of genetic material between organisms, which can facilitate rapid antibiotic resistance.

Transpeptidase

An enzyme targeted by β-lactams to inhibit bacterial cell wall synthesis.

Selective pressure

Environmental factors that favor the survival of certain bacteria over others.

Mutation

A change in the bacterial DNA that can lead to resistance against antibiotics.