Which class of medication inhibits DNA compaction in bacteria?

The class of medication that inhibits DNA compaction in bacteria is fluoroquinolones. These antibiotics work by targeting the bacterial enzymes DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV, which are essential for the replication and transcription of bacterial DNA. By inhibiting these enzymes, fluoroquinolones prevent the supercoiling and relaxation of DNA, which is crucial for the processes of DNA replication and cell division. This disruption leads to the inability of bacteria to properly replicate their genetic material, ultimately resulting in cell death.

The other classes of medications mentioned have different mechanisms of action; aminoglycosides primarily inhibit protein synthesis by binding to the bacterial ribosome, cephalosporins target the bacterial cell wall synthesis, and tetracyclines also inhibit protein synthesis but at a different site than aminoglycosides. Therefore, fluoroquinolones are the only antibiotics listed that directly interfere with the processes related to DNA compaction in bacteria.