In: Biology
Protein synthesis occurs in all living cells. Why, then, are some antimicrobial drugs that target protein synthesis selectively toxic to bacteria?
Protein synthesis that occurs in all living cells are mediated by 80S ribosome, but that of microbes is done by 70S ribosome. Which is generally a target for inhibiting protein synthesis. Hence it can't affect the 80S ribosomes, as it is 70S specific.
However ,there are organelles like Mitochondria and chloroplasts which have 70S ribosomes which are prone to inhibition. So the drugs are made in such a way that they can't travell into another double membrane bound structure and are generally active in cytoplasm or else are destroyed. However it has been observed that despite all majors, mitochondria and chloroplasts are affected to a lesser extent which is again healed.
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