Streptomycin belongs to which class of antibiotics?

Streptomycin belongs to the aminoglycoside class of antibiotics, which are known for their effectiveness against a variety of bacterial infections, particularly those caused by Gram-negative organisms. Aminoglycosides work by inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis, which ultimately leads to bacterial cell death. The mechanism involves binding to the 30S ribosomal subunit, causing misreading of mRNA and disrupting the formation of functional proteins essential for bacterial growth and replication.

In contrast, the other classes of antibiotics listed have different mechanisms of action and target organisms. Penicillins act by inhibiting the synthesis of bacterial cell walls, causing cell lysis, while cephalosporins are also cell wall synthesis inhibitors but are structurally different from penicillins. Tetracyclines, on the other hand, inhibit protein synthesis as well, but they do so by binding to the 30S ribosomal subunit in a different manner than aminoglycosides, and they are typically effective against a different spectrum of bacteria. Hence, the distinct mechanism and spectrum of activity are what categorize streptomycin specifically as an aminoglycoside antibiotic.