Which antibiotic class is associated with causing misreading of mRNA due to binding the 30S ribosomal subunit?

Which antibiotic class is associated with causing misreading of mRNA due to binding the 30S ribosomal subunit?

• A. Aminoglycosides
• B. Macrolides
• C. Tetracyclines
• D. Chloramphenicol

Answer: (A)

Aminoglycosides bind to the 30S ribosomal subunit and distort the decoding site, causing the ribosome to misread the mRNA. This leads to incorporation of incorrect amino acids and faulty, nonfunctional proteins, which is lethal to the bacteria. This misreading mechanism is specific to this class; other antibiotics listed act differently—some block tRNA entry at the 30S without causing misreading, others target the 50S subunit to inhibit translocation or peptidyl transferase. Classic examples include streptomycin and other aminoglycosides, which are known for producing misreading during protein synthesis.

Aminoglycosides bind to the 30S ribosomal subunit and distort the decoding site, causing the ribosome to misread the mRNA. This leads to incorporation of incorrect amino acids and faulty, nonfunctional proteins, which is lethal to the bacteria. This misreading mechanism is specific to this class; other antibiotics listed act differently—some block tRNA entry at the 30S without causing misreading, others target the 50S subunit to inhibit translocation or peptidyl transferase. Classic examples include streptomycin and other aminoglycosides, which are known for producing misreading during protein synthesis.