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Penicillin Kills Bacteria

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Penicillin Kills Bacteria
Penicillin is an effective drug to combat bacterial infections because it targets bacteria-specific proteins and has no effect on human proteins. A bacteria divides and penicillin stops it from reforming/making a new cell wall, and the two daughter cells “pop”. However, penicillin does not combat/work on all types of bacterial infections, it is really effective against gram-positive bacteria. Penicillin is a class of medications with a characteristic ring (β-lactam ring). Penicillin inhibits its target protein by mimicking (copying) D-alanine-alanine. Penicillin kills bacteria by inhibiting the proteins which cross-link peptidoglycans in the cell wall, When a bacterium divides in the presence of penicillin, it cannot fill in the “holes” left

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