Taylor Callahan

Microbiology: Antibiotic Essay

Dr. Watson
October 2014
Introduction
Antibiotics are, simply put, a form of medicine that inhibits growth, injures, or kills
microorganisms. An essay on antibiotics seems appropriately timed as microbes are becoming
increasingly resistant to existing antibiotic treatments especially in medical setting such as
hospitals (Ambile-Cuevas, Crdenas-Garca, Ludgar). This essay will clarify which organisms
produce antibiotics, why they are manufactured in nature, at what point they during the bacteria
life cycle they are manufactured, classes of antibiotics and how they function, and where one
might search for a new antibiotic producer.
Which Organisms Make Antibiotics?
Not to brag, but we humans are historically pretty good at killing things like trees, buffalo
and each other; however, I must regretfully concede the award of All Time Microbicide
Champion to microorganisms which produce antibiotics. Sir Alexander Flemmings discovery
of the first antibiotic, penicillin, cultured from a fungal species provided the scientific and
medical world with a new opportunity for exploration (Johnson). Since then, other species of
fungi and a plethora microbes cultured in different ways have yielded antibiotic agents. Let us
use streptomycin as an example. As the suffix, -mycin, implies, this antibiotic is derived from
actinomycete fungus and after the antibiotic is isolated from the potentially toxic by-products
and further concentrated, you are left with a powerful antibiotic agent (Johnson). No two
antibiotic-producing organisms produce exactly the same antibiotic, meaning that a wide variety
of organisms can be used to produce antibiotics with different target microbes and spectrums.
Why Do Microbes Make Antibiotics?
Differing sensible theories exist regarding why microbes produce antibiotics, creating
debate in the scientific community. The most widespread theory is that microbes produce
antibiotics simply as a means to eliminate other competing microbes. A differing theory proposed
by Julian Davies and agreed upon by Ambile-Cuevas, Crdenas-Garca, and Ludgar proposes
that what are now antibiotic agents were once simply used to bind to ancient cells to stimulate
biosynthesis and other metabolic activities, acting similarly to enzymes. According to this theory,
over time these antibiotics and the cells which they affect have evolved into their current
relationship - one of growth inhibition and microbial death (Davies). It is really not for me to say
which theory, if either, singularly, is correct and thus I must deprive the reader of a climactic
conclusion on this particular point.

When Do Microbes Produce Antibiotics in Their Life Cycle?

Microbes produce secondary metabolites, which include antibiotics, during late log
phase. This functions to kill of competing microbes and enhance the chances of survival for the
microbe producing the antibiotic. This way, as the stationary phase is entered and the microbial
resource supply has been used up, the antibiotic-producing microbe is able to access the final
energy-providing molecules and use other dead microbes as an energy source.
Major Classes of Antibiotics
Antibiotics are grouped into 5 major classes based on their method of microbial growth
inhibition or biocide (Payne). These classes are as follows: inhibitors of cell wall synthesis,
inhibitors of protein synthesis, inhibitors of membrane function, anti-metabolites, and inhibitors
of nucleic acid synthesis. This class system can help to indicate which types of bacteria will
likely be susceptible to a certain antibiotic. For example tetracyclines, broad spectrum inhibitors
of protein synthesis, function to block the translation of proteins necessary for chlamydia to
proliferate and survive (Roberts).
Where to Look to Find a New Antibiotic Producer
Synthetic cells could provide an opportunity to customize antibiotics in the future, but
there is also opportunity in devising a way to inhibit the defenses of antibiotic resistant
organisms such as drug efflux pumps (Payne). Deactivating these defenses could be one of the
best possibilities because it could, potentially, render multi-drug resistant species of pathogenic
bacteria defenseless against already existing antibiotics (Payne).
Reflection on Sources and Critical Thinking
As a microbiology amateur, I am at the mercy of the credibility previously given to my
sources by other experts. I made sure to only use peer reviewed articles and articles which have
been used as sources for multiple other scientific writings - writings composed by additional
experts. The authors of my sources also agreed upon many key points which is an indicator of
common ground and scientific consensus which gives me comfort in the validity of my sources.
Having said this, I must admit my own biases and flaws in my sources and how I hope
that these flaws have been compensated for. As for myself, I possess such little knowledge,
relatively speaking, on this subject matter that I can be compared to a child trapped in a riptide of
information. This simple fact does, admittedly, impede my understanding of how much of this
information fits together. I also tend to search for key words in the title of an article as opposed
to reading through the article searching for relevant information; however, with this essay I tried
to keep that habits influence to a minimum. I can say that I tried my best and feel confident in
my essay. I tried to keep my sources from within the last 20 years which I do understand is
enough time for science to progress very significantly. It is difficult to find a scholarly source
from the year 2014 stating basic facts about the natural production of antibiotic agents because
that is old news in the scientific community - which is why one of my sources is from 1950. I
placed a lot of emphasis on how many other scientists referenced my sources in their own
writings and the variety of these outside references. I believe this is indicative of the reputation,
accuracy and broad importance of the authors I have chosen to site. I also chose authors, with the
exception of only a couple, who have written many published scholarly articles as I believe that

the willingness of the publisher to publish the article is indicative of the authors credibility. All
things considered, I do place what I believe to be justified confidence in my sources.
References
Antibiotic Resistance. Carlos F. Ambile-Cuevas, Maura Crdenas-Garca and Mauricio
Ludgar
American Scientist, Vol. 83, No. 4 (JULY-AUGUST 1995), pp. 320-329
Published by: Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society
Antibiotics. Artell Egbert Johnson
The American Journal of Nursing, Vol. 50, No. 11 (Nov., 1950), pp. 688-690
Published by: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Desperately Seeking New Antibiotics. David J. Payne
Science, New Series, Vol. 321, No. 5896 (Sep. 19, 2008), pp. 1644-1645
Published by: American Association for the Advancement of Science
Infectious Diseases 1979: The Future of Antibiotics. Julian Davies
The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Vol. 140, No. 4 (Oct., 1979), pp. 636-638
Published by: Oxford University Press
Tetracycline Therapy: Update. Marilyn C. Roberts
Clinical Infectious Diseases, Vol. 36, No. 4 (Feb. 15, 2003), pp. 462-467
Published by: Oxford University Press
Why Do We Name Organisms? Some Reminders from the past. Peter F. Stevens
Taxon, Vol. 51, No. 1 (Feb., 2002), pp. 11-26
Published by: International Association for Plant Taxonomy (IAPT)