In: Biology
Which of bacterial antibiotic resistance mechanisms most accurately describes this following scenario?
Scenario: MRSA has attained a new penicilin binding protein which inhibits beta-lactams from binding. This was probably obtained through _______ and is an example of __________ mechanism of reisistance:
1) point mutation, target mimicracy
2) transformation, target modification
3) conjugation, target overproduction
4)) transduction, drug inactivation
Point mutation, target mimicry
Transformation is the process of by which a bacterium picks up naked DNA from the environment. The condition given in the question will be an example of target mimicry. It is because the question is saying that the bacteria has attained a new penicillin binding protein. It means it is not the original protein where penicillin binds in bacteria. It is new protein which is similar in structure to the original penicillin binding protein. Now the penicillin molecule will bind to new protein and this will result in the inactivation of penicillin.
This is an example of point mutation because this type of mutation is a single base pair change in the sequence of DNA which may or may not affect the sequence of amino acid. If this is affecting the sequence of amino acids, then the structure of protein is altered and therefore it attains a new function.
Transformation is the process of picking up naked DNA from the environment by a bacteria.
Transduction is the process of genetic recombination in bacteria with the help of a virus.
Conjugation is the process of transfer of genes from one bacterium to the other with the help of conjugation tube.