Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life (MindTap Course List)
Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life (MindTap Course List)
15th Edition
ISBN: 9781337408332
Author: Cecie Starr, Ralph Taggart, Christine Evers, Lisa Starr
Publisher: Cengage Learning
bartleby

Concept explainers

bartleby

Videos

Textbook Question
Book Icon
Chapter 20, Problem 1DAA

Bacteriophage-Inspired Antibiotics Although bacteriophages have been infecting bacteria for billions of years, no mechanism, has evolved in bacteria to prevent the viruses from lysing the cell walls of their hosts. Now, scientists are targeting the same bacterial wall components that bacteriophages do. The goal is to develop antibiotics that bacteria will be less likely to develop resistance to. 

FIGURE 20.22 shows the results of a study to test Epimerox, a new bacteriophage-inspired antibiotic, against Bacillus anthracis, the bacterial species that causes the disease anthrax.

Chapter 20, Problem 1DAA, Bacteriophage-Inspired Antibiotics Although bacteriophages have been infecting bacteria for billions

FIGURE 20.22 Effect of Epimerox on the survival of mice with anthrax. Mice were infected with the bacteria B. anthracis. One group of 15 then began receiving a drug-free buffer solution 3 hours later. Another 15 were treated with Epimerox beginning 3 hours after infection. A third group of 15was treated with Epimerox beginning 24 hours after infection.

How long did it take for all the mice that received the drug-free buffer alone to die? What function did this group play in the experiment?

Expert Solution
Check Mark
Summary Introduction

To determine: The days taken for all the mice to receive the drug-free buffer alone and die.

Introduction: Scientists developed an investigational broad spectrum of an antibiotic compound called Epimerox that inhibits or blocks the activity of an enzyme called epimerase. Epimerase is an enzyme found in Bacillus anthracis that is required to synthesize a polysaccharide in their cell wall. It is also essential for bacterial growth and for receptor expression. Epimerase is used as a model to produce the drug Epimerox. The bacteriophage-lysin enzyme has the capability to specifically bind with epimerase of bacteria and cause cell lysis. Bacillus could not develop a resistant mechanism to prevent the viruses from lysing their host cell wall. This was the idea behind to produce an antibiotic epimerase that could be effective against Bacillus anthracis.

Explanation of Solution

In the given case study, scientists had conducted certain experiments to determine the action of the Epimerox drug. The experimental groups of mice were infected with the bacteria Bacillus anthracis. The mice were grouped into 15 member groups. The first set of mice began to receive drug-free buffer after three hours of infection. At the same time, another set was treated with Epimerox antibiotics. The third set of mice was treated with Epimerox after 24 hours of infection. They observed the survival rate of mice of different groups, and the results were plotted in a graph (Refer Fig 20.2) showing the time (days) of survival versus percentage of survival. Refer Fig 20.2, “Effect of Epimerox on the survival of mice with anthrax”, in the textbook. The graph shows that the group of mice that were injected with drug-free buffer solution died within five days of infection.

Conclusion

The group of mice that were injected with drug-free buffer solution died within five days of infection.

Expert Solution
Check Mark
Summary Introduction

To determine: The role of drug-free buffer in the given experiment.

Introduction: Epimerox inhibits or blocks the activity of an enzyme called epimerase. Epimerase is an enzyme found in Bacillus anthracis that is required to synthesize a polysaccharide in their cell wall. It is also essential for bacterial growth and for receptor expression. Epimerase is used as a model to produce the drug Epimerox.

Explanation of Solution

A solution that will resist the pH change by the addition of either acid or base is called buffer. The buffers are important to maintain the pH of a solution. In the given experiment, drug-free buffer serves as a control group to check the efficiency of the drug Epimerox against the Bacillus anthracis in other groups.

Conclusion

The drug-free buffer served as the control group.

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!
Students have asked these similar questions
The figure depicts five stages of the lytic cycle. ********* Select the statement that describes stage 3 of the lytic cycle, as shown in the diagram. The host cell synthesizes cellular proteins to prepare for lysis. The host cell incorporates phage DNA into its own genome. The host cell replicates the phage DNA. O The host cell synthesizes proteins that degrade phage DNA.
1. Precise words:Find the nonspecific terms in the following sentences. Replace the nonspecific choices with more preciseterms or phrases (It is not necessary to change the sentence structure).(i) All OVE mutants showed enhanced iP concentrations.(ii) Plants were kept in the cold overnight.(iii) To provide proof of concept for our hypothesis, we studied a virus in its host cell.(iv) The present paper reports on continuing experiments that were performed to clarify thissurprising effect.(v) The first transition state is a little lower in energy than the second transition state. 2. Simple words:Improve the word choice in the following examples by replacing the underlined terms or phrases withsimpler word choices (do not change the sentence structure).(i) These data substantiate our hypothesis.(ii) The difference in our results compared to those of Reuter et al. (1995) can be accounted forby the fact that different conditions were used.(iii) For the purpose of discussing cell migration we…
Transfer of resistance to a new family of antimicrobial agents from one strain to another s following a  genetic mechanisms? 1) Conjugation 2) Transduction 3) Transformation 4) Transposition 5) Recombination
Knowledge Booster
Background pattern image
Biology
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, biology and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.
Similar questions
SEE MORE QUESTIONS
Recommended textbooks for you
Text book image
Human Anatomy & Physiology (11th Edition)
Biology
ISBN:9780134580999
Author:Elaine N. Marieb, Katja N. Hoehn
Publisher:PEARSON
Text book image
Biology 2e
Biology
ISBN:9781947172517
Author:Matthew Douglas, Jung Choi, Mary Ann Clark
Publisher:OpenStax
Text book image
Anatomy & Physiology
Biology
ISBN:9781259398629
Author:McKinley, Michael P., O'loughlin, Valerie Dean, Bidle, Theresa Stouter
Publisher:Mcgraw Hill Education,
Text book image
Molecular Biology of the Cell (Sixth Edition)
Biology
ISBN:9780815344322
Author:Bruce Alberts, Alexander D. Johnson, Julian Lewis, David Morgan, Martin Raff, Keith Roberts, Peter Walter
Publisher:W. W. Norton & Company
Text book image
Laboratory Manual For Human Anatomy & Physiology
Biology
ISBN:9781260159363
Author:Martin, Terry R., Prentice-craver, Cynthia
Publisher:McGraw-Hill Publishing Co.
Text book image
Inquiry Into Life (16th Edition)
Biology
ISBN:9781260231700
Author:Sylvia S. Mader, Michael Windelspecht
Publisher:McGraw Hill Education
What Is A Virus ? ; Author: Peekaboo Kidz;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS7vsBgWszI;License: Standard YouTube License, CC-BY