Suppose you had the option of destroying one type of organic

Suppose you had the option of destroying one type of organic molecule in a bacterial species as a way of eliminating the microbe. Which type of molecule would you choose and why?

Solution

Answer:

Proteins & Nucleic acids.

Explanation:

Like proteins, nucleic acids cannot be denatured without injuring the microbe or killing it. For example, ultraviolet (UV) and gamma ray radiations damage or break DNA and can be used to lower the microbial population on an environmental surface or sterilize food products. Chemicals such as formaldehyde alter the nucleic acids of viruses and can be used to produce some viral vaccines. Moreover, certain antibiotics interfere with nucleic acid activity, thereby killing bacteria. We shall encounter many other instances where tampering with nucleic acids or with the other key organic molecules of a microbe leads to its destruction.