BENZYLPENICILLINASE Meaning and
Definition
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Benzylpenicillinase, also known as penicillinase or beta-lactamase, is an enzyme that degrades or inactivates the antibiotic drug benzylpenicillin (also called penicillin G). It is commonly produced by certain bacteria as a defense mechanism, rendering them resistant to the antibiotic's action.
The enzyme belongs to the beta-lactamase family and specifically targets the beta-lactam ring present in the chemical structure of benzylpenicillin. By breaking this ring, benzylpenicillinase effectively destroys the antibiotic's ability to bind to and inhibit the essential enzymes involved in bacterial cell wall synthesis.
The production of benzylpenicillinase by bacteria poses a significant challenge to the effective treatment of bacterial infections. Once the enzyme is present, it can rapidly inactivate benzylpenicillin, rendering the antibiotic ineffective in eradicating the infection.
To combat the resistance caused by benzylpenicillinase, pharmaceutical companies have developed modified versions of penicillin, such as amoxicillin and methicillin, which are not recognized and degraded by this enzyme. Additionally, the use of beta-lactamase inhibitors, such as clavulanic acid, in combination with penicillin-type antibiotics has proven effective in preventing the degradation of these drugs by benzylpenicillinase.
Overall, benzylpenicillinase plays a crucial role in the development of bacterial resistance to penicillin and has significant implications in the treatment of bacterial infections.
Common Misspellings for BENZYLPENICILLINASE
- venzylpenicillinase
- nenzylpenicillinase
- henzylpenicillinase
- genzylpenicillinase
- bwnzylpenicillinase
- bsnzylpenicillinase
- bdnzylpenicillinase
- brnzylpenicillinase
- b4nzylpenicillinase
- b3nzylpenicillinase
- bebzylpenicillinase
- bemzylpenicillinase
- bejzylpenicillinase
- behzylpenicillinase
- benxylpenicillinase
- bensylpenicillinase
- benaylpenicillinase
- benztlpenicillinase
- benzglpenicillinase
- benzhlpenicillinase
Etymology of BENZYLPENICILLINASE
The word "Benzylpenicillinase" is a compound of three parts: "benzyl", "penicillin", and "ase".
1. "Benzyl" refers to a specific chemical group called benzyl, which consists of a benzene ring attached to a methyl group (-CH2-).
2. "Penicillin" refers to the group of antibiotics known as penicillins, which are derived from the Penicillium fungus. They are used to treat bacterial infections.
3. "-ase" is a common suffix in biochemistry that denotes an enzyme. Enzymes are proteins that catalyze specific biochemical reactions.
Therefore, "Benzylpenicillinase" refers to an enzyme that acts on benzylpenicillin.
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