Biology 5090 · O Level · Antibiotics

Antibiotics — practice question

Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogen that infects humans. Antibodies and antibiotics can destroy it. Its cells are spherical and about $1\,\mu\text{m}$ in diameter. Fig. 3.1 shows an S. aureus cell.
(a(i))[2]

State the names of parts A and B.

(a(ii))[2]

Apart from part A, state two other components of this bacterial cell that are also found in animal and plant cells.

(a(iii))[3]

Antibodies destroy bacterial cells without harming human cells. Explain how this can happen.

(b(i))[1]

Suggest why this test is called a disc diffusion test.

(b(ii))[2]

Describe what these results indicate about the effectiveness of antibiotics 1 and 5.

(c(i))[1]

Suggest which strain, K, L, M or N, in Fig. 3.2 is most likely to become the largest percentage of the population.

(c(ii))[5]

Explain why the strain named in c(i) is likely to become the largest percentage of the population over time.

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