Download A.1.2.1AntibioticTherapy

Activity 1.2.1: Antibiotic Therapy
1. Review the structure of a bacterial cell. Use the Cells Alive Bacterial Cell Structure website
found at: http://www.cellsalive.com/cells/bactcell.htm#surface as well as other reliable
sites for information.
2. Draw and label a diagram of a bacterial cell in your laboratory journal. Use colored pencils to
enhance your diagram. Include the following cellular parts on your diagram:
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Nucleoid
Plasmid
Ribosomes
Cell wall
Plasma membrane (cell membrane)
Capsule
Flagella
Pili
Endotoxins
3. Create text boxes containing a description of the function for each labeled component on the
drawing.
4. Research the difference in cell wall structure between a Gram positive and Gram negative
bacteria. Take notes in your laboratory journal. Begin your search with Howard Hughes
Medical Institute’s Antibiotics Attack website found at:
http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/Antibiotics_Attack/frameset.html
5. Brainstorm with your partner ideas of how antibiotics work to kill bacterial cells without harming
the surrounding human cells. Record your ideas in your laboratory journal.
6. Work with your partner(s) to research how the following classes of antibiotics affect and
destroy bacteria:
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Penicillins (also called β-Lactam antibiotics)
Tetracyclines
Fluoroquinolones
Sulfa antibiotics (Sulfonamids)
7. For each class of antibiotic, indicate where and how the antibiotic affects the bacterial cell on
your bacterial cell diagram.
8. Research the structure of Neisseria menigitidis bacteria. Take notes in your laboratory journal.
Determine if it is a Gram positive or Gram negative bacteria.
Conclusion
1. What cellular components do some bacterial cells have that make them powerful pathogens?
Explain your answer.
2. Why are penicillins often more effective against Gram positive bacteria than Gram negative
bacteria?
3. Why is it important to understand the structure of a bacterial cell when developing an
antibiotic?
4. How do antibiotics work without harming the surrounding human cells?
5. What class of antibiotics would you prescribe for Sue? Explain your answer.
6. Why are antibiotics NOT effective against viruses? (Think back to what you learned about
viruses in PBS.)