 As a protein synthesis inhibitor , it stops the growth of bacteria by disrupting their production of proteins , that is , it is a bacteriostatic agent , not bacteriocidal . Although many antibiotics work this way , the exact mechanism of action of linezolid appears to be unique in that it blocks the initiation of protein production , and not one of the later steps . Bacterial resistance to linezolid has remained very low since it was first detected in 1999 , although it may be increasing . It is a member of the oxazolidinone class of drugs . 
