Question

Aminoglycoside modifying enzymes

reduce the transport of aminoglycosides into the cell

increase the transport of aminoglycosides out of the cell

cause the aminoglycosides to bind altered ribsomal target sites

enhance the cells production of beta lactamases

Answer 1

Aminoglycosides are the antibiotic compounds that are used to kill or inhibit the growth of gram-negative aerobic bacilli bacteria. The Aminoglycosides alone cannot enter into the bacterial cells, so the vancomycin or β-lactams used along with Aminoglycosides. This will create a synergistic effect and increases uptake of Aminoglycosides.

The enzymes acetyltransferases, phosphotransferases and nucleotidyltranferases modify the Aminoglycosides by adding −OH or −NH₂. These modifications reduce the effect of Aminoglycosides and create resistance to the organism towards Aminoglycosides, like spectinomycin. Therefore, due to modification, the Aminoglycosides cannot enter into the cell and do not bind to the altered ribosomal target sites to enhance the cells production of beta lactamases.