Question

What is the main difference between bacteria and humans that gives Sulfa drugs their antibacterial properties? Group of answer choices Human cells can readily absorb folic acid; bacteria cells cannot. Bacteria cells can readily absorb folic acid; human cells cannot. Bacteria cells can readily absorb sulfa drugs; human cells cannot. Human cells can readily absorb sulfa drugs; bacteria cells cannot. None of these

Answer 1

Answer:

Human cells can readily absorb folic acid; bacteria cells cannot.

Explanation:

Bacterial cells cannot absorb folic acid and synthesize it. On the other hand, humans do not synthesize folic acid in their cells. They rather obtain it from the diet. Sulfa drugs, for example, sulfanilamide resemble p-aminobenzoate (PABA). PABA is a molecule that is used as a substrate in the synthesis of the coenzyme folic acid. The sulfa drugs serve as competitive inhibitors and compete with PABA for the catalytic site of an enzyme involved in the folic acid synthesis. This prevents the synthesis of folic acid in bacterial cells and thereby, inhibits bacterial growth.