What Is the Effect of Poisons Such as Mercury in Antimicrobial

question 54

Multiple Choice

What is the effect of poisons such as mercury in antimicrobial products? Recall that mercury oxidizes the S-H groups of the amino acid cysteine in proteins, converting it to cystine.

• A) Competitive inhibition-the mercury binds to the active site of a bacterial enzyme, inhibiting the function of the enzyme.
• B) Reversible non-competitive inhibition-the mercury binds to an allosteric site on a bacterial enzyme, changing the active site shape temporarily and inhibiting enzyme function.
• C) Irreversible non-competitive inhibition-the mercury binds to an allosteric site on the enzyme and permanently changes the shape of the active site, so that the enzyme becomes nonfunctional.
• D) Reversible non-competitive inhibition-the mercury binds to the active site of an enzyme temporarily, inhibiting its function.
• E) Competitive inhibition-the mercury binds to an allosteric site on a bacterial enzyme, blocking attachment of the appropriate substrate and inhibiting the function of the enzyme.

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Definitions:

Sample Mean

The arithmetic mean calculated from a sample of data from a larger population, used to estimate the population mean.

Population Mean

The average measure of a set of values from the entire population of interest, representing its central tendency.

Statistical Analysis

The process of collecting, exploring, and presenting large amounts of data to discover underlying patterns and trends.

Research Hypothesis

A research hypothesis is a specific, testable prediction about the expected outcome of a study based on theoretical concepts or prior evidence.