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Glite Dictionary
penicillinase

penicillinase

9.5
An enzyme made by some bacteria that destroys penicillin
  • noun
  • /ˌpɛnɪˈsɪlɪneɪs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : penicilinasa
  • The bacteria produce penicillinase, allowing them to survive exposure to penicillin.

Examples

  • In a laboratory, scientists studied how penicillinase breaks down penicillin, leading to antibiotic resistance.

  • Doctors often recommend alternative antibiotics for infections caused by penicillinase-producing bacteria.

  • Therefore, Brook et al. believed that antibiotic therapy for PTA should be both penicillinase-stable and effective against anaerobes.

    Academic text (2005)

Synonyms

lactamase
vspenicillinase
  • Specialized
1 8.0

A protein some bacteria make that destroys penicillin and similar antibiotics

is limited to penicillin and not to all lactam antibiotics
beta-lactamase
vspenicillinase
  • Specialized
7.8

A substance made by some bacteria that destroys penicillin and helps the bacteria survive antibiotics

is specific to penicillin rather than to a broader antibiotic group

Compounds

penicillinase-resistant antibiotic
  • Specialized
5.0

An antibiotic like penicillin that still works when bacteria make a chemical that breaks penicillin

Surface Forms

penicillinase singular
penicillinases plural

Morphology

penicillinase = penicillin (semi-transparent) = penicillin + ase

The relation 'enzyme acting on penicillin' is structurally clear, but the suffix 'ase' is a technical biological suffix that may not be known to all B1 learners.

Etymology

Penicillinase comes from penicillin, the antibiotic named after the mold Penicillium, and the ending -ase, which marks enzyme names. So, penicillinase is an enzyme that 'breaks down' penicillin, which is why bacteria that have it are 'resistant' to that antibiotic.