Question

What is wrong with a bacterial cell if it cannot make protein

Answer 1

There are a variety of points in the transcriptional chain at which it is possible to disrupt protein synthesis in bacteria. Let’s enumerate just a few:

There’s the initial point where DNA is transcribed into mRNA;there’s the point where mRNA binds to the Ribosome complex;there’s the point where tRNA-aminoacyl pair binds to the Ribosome according to the current codon being “read out” in the mRNA;there’s the point where the aminoacid transported by the tRNA is transferred to the growing protein chain; andthere’s the point where the protein synthesis is determined complete, and the Ribosome disengages and releases the newly-synthesized peptide chain.

In each of these stages (and in some other, more subtle phases) there are possible points of disruption and there are specific disruptors; some of which are indicated in the aboveProtein synthesis inhibitor article.

Note, by the way, that the Ribosomes of Prokaryotes (bacteria) and Eukaryotes (cells with nuclei) aren’t identical, and therefore the inhibitors/disruptors that work for one type of cell may not (and usually don’t) work on the other type. That’s why we can take antibiotics targeted at bacteria with little to no fear of them interfering with our eukaryotic cells’ functions.

(This is a simplified, somewhat hand-wavy response. There is a lot more to say, mainly because biological systems are anything but simple. Nevertheless this should be enough to get you started in the general direction.)