Both cefotaxime and meropenem are beta-lactam antibiotics. These work by interfering with which bacterial process?

• A. DNA replication
• B. Folate synthesis
• C. Protein synthesis at the ribosome
• D. Synthesis of peptidoglycan in the cell wall

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that beta-lactam antibiotics, such as cefotaxime and meropenem, target bacterial cell structures or processes essential for survival.
2. Recall that beta-lactams specifically inhibit enzymes called penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) which are involved in the synthesis of peptidoglycan, a critical component of the bacterial cell wall.
3. Recognize that peptidoglycan provides structural integrity to the bacterial cell wall, protecting the cell from osmotic pressure and maintaining its shape.
4. Note that by interfering with peptidoglycan synthesis, beta-lactam antibiotics weaken the cell wall, leading to cell lysis and death, especially in actively dividing bacteria.
5. Conclude that the bacterial process targeted by cefotaxime and meropenem is the synthesis of peptidoglycan in the cell wall, not DNA replication, folate synthesis, or protein synthesis.