Erythromycin belongs to which antibiotic class?

Prepare for the Ophthalmic Medications Test with flashcards and multiple choice questions. Each question includes hints and explanations to enhance your understanding. Gear up for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Erythromycin belongs to which antibiotic class?

Explanation:
Erythromycin is a macrolide antibiotic. It has a large macrocyclic lactone ring with sugars attached, and it works by binding to the 50S ribosomal subunit to block the translocation step of protein synthesis, stopping the growing peptide chain. This mechanism is distinct from the others: aminoglycosides target the 30S subunit to cause misreading of mRNA, fluoroquinolones inhibit DNA gyrase/topoisomerase, and tetracyclines block tRNA attachment to the ribosome at the 30S subunit. So erythromycin’s macrolide structure and its inhibition of protein synthesis at the 50S subunit define its class.

Erythromycin is a macrolide antibiotic. It has a large macrocyclic lactone ring with sugars attached, and it works by binding to the 50S ribosomal subunit to block the translocation step of protein synthesis, stopping the growing peptide chain. This mechanism is distinct from the others: aminoglycosides target the 30S subunit to cause misreading of mRNA, fluoroquinolones inhibit DNA gyrase/topoisomerase, and tetracyclines block tRNA attachment to the ribosome at the 30S subunit. So erythromycin’s macrolide structure and its inhibition of protein synthesis at the 50S subunit define its class.

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