Abstract
RECENT syntheses of novel penicillins1,2 have led to revived interest in the detection of species and strains of bacteria able to destroy penicillin; it has also become important to identify the destructive agent. Screening methods based on substantial diminution of the antibiotic activity of penicillin against Gram-positive bacteria3,4 or on changes in pH associated with the formation of extra carboxyl groups4,5 have always had a range of application limited by their susceptibility to interference from general metabolic products. It has now become evident that such methods are also unsuitable for distinguishing penicillinase from penicillin acylase6–8. But penicillinase converts penicillin to penicilloic acid which, being a thiazolidine with a non-acylated imino group, reacts with iodine; whereas the 6-amino-penicillanic acid formed by penicillin acylase has an intact β-lactam ring and is as inert towards iodine as penicillin itself.
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FOLEY, J., PERRET, C. Screening Bacterial Colonies for Penicillinase Production. Nature 195, 287–288 (1962). https://doi.org/10.1038/195287a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/195287a0
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