Question

Read the following statements with respect to antibiotics, and state true (T) or false (F).
A. Antibiotic means “prolife” in the context of disease-causing organisms.
B. Waksman discovered streptomycin and coined the term antibiotics.
C. Therapeutic value of penicillin was established by Chain and Florey.
D. Most of the antibiotics are obtained from Actinomycetes.

• A. A–T; B–T; C–F; D–F
• B. A–F; B–T; C–T; D–T
• C. A–F; B–T; C–E; D–F
• D. A–T; B–F; C–T; D–T

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

'Antibiotics' are referred to antibacterial compounds which do not allow the growth of bacteria. It is not prolife for disease-causing organisms; it is prolife for humans since they protect them against various diseases. Most antibiotics possess a beta-lactam ring in its molecular structure which inhibits the synthesis of peptidoglycan found in the bacterial cell wall. This leads to the disintegration of the cell wall and ultimately the death of the bacteria.

Selman Waksman is known as the father of antibiotics, he first coined the term 'antibiotics', which means to inhibit the growth of bacteria.
Streptomycin discovered by Selman Waksmann, Albert Schatz and Elizabeth Bugie by soil microbes named Streptomyces griseus. This is an antimicrobial drug which interferes with the activity of microbes. It is effective against tuberculosis.

Although penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming, its first clinical trial was performed by Chain and Florey on the police constable of Oxford.
Actinomycetes is the most widely used microorganism in antibiotic production. Also known as actinobacteria, they include a Streptomyces bacterium which is helpful in the production of various drugs like tetracyclins, aminoglycosides, etc.