Oxytetracycline, the second of the tetracyclines discovered, is a broad-spectrum antibiotic. Oxytetracycline is lipophilic and easily passes through cell membranes or enters bacterial cells via membrane porin channels. Once inside the cell, it binds to the bacterial 30S ribosomal subunit and prevents aminoacyl tRNA from binding to the A site of the ribosome-RNA complex; binding inhibition likely occurs through steric hindrance. The overall effect is inhibition of bacterial protein synthesis and hence growth.

Oxytetracycline Pathway References