Question

How are antibiotics able to target the bacteria cells but not the healthy cells within your body? (4 points)

Answer 1

Answer:

Human cells do not make or need peptidoglycan. Penicillin, one of the first antibiotics to be used widely, prevents the final cross-linking step, or transpeptidation, in assembly of this macromolecule. The result is a very fragile cell wall that bursts, killing the bacterium.