Penicillin kills susceptible bacteria by inhibiting the enzyme that builds the

  • A. bacterial DNA
  • B. bacterial ribosomes
  • C. bacterial cell wall
  • D. bacterial flagellum

Explanation

Penicillin blocks the transpeptidase that crosslinks the peptidoglycan wall, so a growing bacterium bursts under its own osmotic pressure. Human cells have no wall at all, which is why the drug is selectively toxic.

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