Question

When Streptococcus pneumoniae are exposed to an antibiotic, the bacteria try to pump the antibiotic out of

Answer 1

Since Streptococcus pneumoniae needs to pump the antibiotic against its electrochemical gradient, the cell must do it through the mechanism of active transport.

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Let us first review the concepts of active an passive transport.

• Passive transport occurs in favor of the electrochemical gradient, taking molecules from the higher concentration side to the lower concentration side. Because of this, it does not need energy to occur.

Osmosis, diffusion, and facilitated diffusion are all types of passive transport.

• Active transport occurs against the electrochemical gradient, so it needs energy to happen.

It carries molecules from a lower concentration side to a higher concentration side.

Carrier proteins are involved in active transport.  

There are two types of active transport:

• Primary active transport uses energy from the ATP molecule. An example is Na-K bomb.  

• Secondary active transport uses energy from the electric membrane potential. Examples are the carriage of Na, K, Mg metallic ions.

Now let us think about the proposed situation.

When the bacteria is exposed to an environment with antibiotic, the concentration of the chemical is higher outside the cell than inside.

Since the concentration is higher outside, the antibiotic tends to move toward the interior of the bacteria.

But if the bacteria needs to take it out of the cell, it must do it by active transport, because it is moving the molecules from the lower concentration side to the higher concentration side.

The bacteria must move molecules against their chemical gradient.

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