Tetracycline is an antibiotic produced by a bacterium from the genus Streptomyces that is classified as a polyketide. Related variants are all classified as being in the Tetracycline Family of drugs. It is a broad spectrum antibiotic used to treat a wide range of infections.
Tetracycline works by stopping protein synthesis in the recognition step of peptide elongation. It binds to the 30S subunit of the bacterial ribosome and blocks new aminoacyl-tRNAs from entering the A-site, thus halting peptide growth.