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WILLIAM AND MADISON'S SCIENCE PROJECT |
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How Penicillin Works
Penicillin kills bacteria by interfering with the ability to synthesize cell wall. In the movie
sequence, Escherichia coli were incubated in
penicillin for 30 minutes. The bacteria lengthen, but cannot divide. Eventually the weak cell wall ruptures.
Improper antibiotic use selects for populations of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Some bacteria avoid the effect of penicillin by the production of penicillinase, an enzyme
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