Question

Antibiotic Azaserine is obtained from
A. Streptomyces radiate
B. S. fragilis
C. S. decaris
D. Bacillus bruise

Answer 1

Hint: The term antibiotic means against life. These are medicines used for treating several diseases like cholera, tuberculosis, etc. These chemicals are produced by bacteria to kill other microorganisms or bacteria living around it.

Complete answer: Antibiotics are antimicrobial in nature i.e. they used against other microorganisms for inhibiting their growth. These are used for treating some protozoan disease also along with some bacterial disease. But these are not effective in case of viral diseases like the common cold.
There are different mechanisms of the antibiotic actions. Antibiotics could kill the bacteria or other microorganisms by inhibiting bacterial cell wall synthesis, inhibiting protein synthesis in the bacteria, interfering with RNA synthesis in bacteria, etc.
Antibiotics on the basis of their activity, are classified into two types- narrow spectrum and broad spectrum. Narrow spectrum antibiotics primarily affect gram positive bacteria. Broad spectrum antibiotics, on the other hand, affect both gram positive and gram negative bacteria. An example of broad spectrum antibiotics is tetracycline and an example of narrow spectrum antibiotics is penicillin G.
Antibiotic Azaserine is a serine derivative diazo compound obtained from Streptomyces fragilis by culturing it in the laboratory on a suitable growth medium. It has antineoplastic i.e. it is anti cancerous or prevents cancer and antibiotic properties that are derived from its mechanism of action as purinergic antagonist and structural similarity to glutamine. It acts on glutamine metabolism by competitively inhibiting the enzyme required for this process i.e. amidotransferase.
So, the correct answer is “Option A”.

Note: Alexander Fleming in 1929 discovered the first antibiotic which was named as Penicillin. It was named after Penicillium notatum that inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus in the petri plate which led to its discovery.