Biology 9700 · AS & A Level · Carbohydrates and lipids

Carbohydrates and lipids — practice question

Antibiotic-resistant strains of $\textit{Mycobacterium tuberculosis}$ are a serious issue in the treatment of TB. A new antibiotic, teixobactin, may be highly effective at destroying $M.\ \textit{tuberculosis}$, with only a small chance that the bacteria will develop resistance to teixobactin. Penicillin and related antibiotics attach to one protein, whereas teixobactin attaches to two lipids that are necessary for the bacterial cell wall to form. Teixobactin binds to parts of the two lipids that remain unchanged across many different species of bacteria. Which statements help to explain why the use of teixobactin is considered less likely to cause the evolution of antibiotic resistance than the use of many other antibiotics, such as penicillin?

  • A1, 2 and 3
  • B1 and 2 only
  • C1 and 3 only
  • D2 and 3 only

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