The antibiotics tetracycline and erythromycin inhibit bacterial protein synthesis, but have no effect on proteins encoded by eukaryotic, nuclear genes. Conversely, the antibiotic cycloheximide inhibits protein synthesis of nuclear genes, but has no effect on protein synthesis in bacteria.

Select the statement that best describes the effect of a particular antibiotic on protein synthesis.

a. It cannot be determined because two of these antibiotics affect bacteria, and cells with mitochondria are eukaryotic.
b. Tetracycline treatment would inhibit mitochondrial protein synthesis, but not protein synthesis of nuclear genes.
c. Erythromycin treatment would inhibit protein synthesis from nuclear genes, but not from mitochondrial genes.
d. Cycloheximide treatment would inhibit expression of mitochondrial genes, but not expression of nuclear genes.
e. Tetracycline treatment would inhibit translation of nuclear genes, but not translation of mitochondrial genes.