Chlortetracycline is a tetracycline antibiotic, and historically the first member of this class to be identified. Chlortetracycline, like other tetracyclines, competes for the A site of the bacterial ribosome 2. This binding competes with tRNA carrying amino acids preventing the addition of more amino acids to the peptide chain. This inhibition of protein synthesis ultimately inhibits growth and reproduction of the bacterial cell as necessary proteins cannot be synthesized.