Penicillinase

Penicillase hydrolytically splits the four-ring lactam (β-lactam ring) of a penicillin. The resulting carboxylic acid then decarboxylates spontaneously.

Penicillinase is a different bacteria produced enzyme which is capable of one or more of penicillin - antibiotic to make "harmless". The penicillinase cleaves the β- lactam ring of the penicillins hydrolytically, which means that the antibiotic effectiveness of the drug is lost. There are semi-synthetic penicillins with a chemically modified side chain (different residues R, see illustration) that are resistant to some penicillinases.

β-lactam-splitting enzymes ( β-lactamases ) occur in numerous bacteria, including non-pathogenic bacteria.

The term penicillinases is obsolete, but is still often used as a collective term for β-lactamases , which can hydrolytically split penicillins and cephalosporins .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Otto-Albrecht Neumüller (Ed.): Römpps Chemie-Lexikon. Volume 4: M-Pk. 8th revised and expanded edition. Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1985, ISBN 3-440-04514-5 , p. 3026.