Question

Streptomyces griseus is a Gram-positive bacterial species that produces the antibiotic Streptomycin, a broad-spectrum Aminoglycoside. Early in this bacterium’s metabolism, it also produces an enzyme that inactivates Streptomycin. Can you think of a reason for this?

Answer 1

Aminoglycoside is an antibiotic which binds to 30S subunit of ribosome in bacteria preventing protein synthesis.

This antibiotic is produced by bacteria Streptomyces and this antibiotic molecule can also bind to 30S subunit of ribosomes of this bacteria and prevent protein synthesis in it. Therefore it will inhibit Streptomyces from growing.

So in order to protect itself from its own antibiotic molecules, the bacteria encoders an enzyme which inactivates this antibiotic so that the bacteria is not affected from it.

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