Isoniazid inhibits mycolic acid synthesis and is a first-line antibiotic used to treat tuberculosis. How would you predict accelerators and alternators might vary in their sensitivity to this drug?

A. Accelerators and alternators should be equally sensitive.

B. Accelerators should be less sensitive than alternators.

C. Neither would be more sensitive. This drug should only be effective against dormant mycobacteria.

D. Accelerators should be more sensitive than alternators.

E. Accelerators and alternators should both develop resistance after two cell cycles.

D. Accelerators should be more sensitive than alternators.

Explanation:

Accelerators are those mycobacteria which produces the cell wall rapidly, while alternators are those mycobacteria which produce the cell wall slowly.

As the Isoniazid works by inhibition of the synthesis of mycolic acids in the cell wall of the mycobacteria thus it is bactericidal for actively growing tubercle bacilli but is less effective against dormant organisms.

As isoniazid works by the inhibition of the mycolic acid synthesis, the accelarators will be more sensitive to the action of the drug as the drug won't let them synthesize the mycolic acid faster.

Hence option D) Accelerators should be more sensitive than alternators is the right answer.