GAMMA PENICILLINASE Meaning and
Definition
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Gamma penicillinase, also known as TEM-1, is an enzyme that belongs to the class A beta-lactamase family. It is a type of penicillinase, which is an enzyme capable of inactivating penicillin antibiotics. Gamma penicillinase specifically degrades penicillin and other beta-lactam antibiotics by cleaving the beta-lactam ring present in their molecular structure.
The name "gamma penicillinase" arises from the classification system used to categorize beta-lactamases. The Greek letter gamma (γ) denotes its classification within the selection scheme that was initially designed to identify various beta-lactamase enzymes produced by different bacteria.
The presence of gamma penicillinase in bacteria poses a significant clinical concern, as it provides resistance against commonly used penicillin-based antibiotics. Bacteria that produce gamma penicillinase can effectively inactivate penicillin and other similar antibiotics, rendering them ineffective in treating bacterial infections caused by these resistant strains.
The study of gamma penicillinase plays a vital role in understanding antibiotic resistance mechanisms and developing strategies to combat such resistance. It serves as an important target for the development of new beta-lactam antibiotics that are not susceptible to degradation by this enzyme. By deciphering the structure and function of gamma penicillinase, scientists aim to design potent inhibitors that can prevent its action, thus restoring the efficacy of penicillin-based antibiotics against resistant bacteria.
Common Misspellings for GAMMA PENICILLINASE
- famma penicillinase
- vamma penicillinase
- bamma penicillinase
- hamma penicillinase
- yamma penicillinase
- tamma penicillinase
- gzmma penicillinase
- gsmma penicillinase
- gwmma penicillinase
- gqmma penicillinase
- ganma penicillinase
- gakma penicillinase
- gajma penicillinase
- gamna penicillinase
- gamka penicillinase
- gamja penicillinase
- gammz penicillinase
- gamms penicillinase
- gammw penicillinase
- gammq penicillinase
Etymology of GAMMA PENICILLINASE
The word "gamma Penicillinase" has its etymology rooted in the scientific field of microbiology and pharmacology.
1. Gamma: The term "gamma" refers to the third letter of the Greek alphabet, written as Γ in uppercase and γ in lowercase. In scientific terminology, Greek letters are often used to denote different variations or types of a particular element. In this case, "gamma" signifies a specific variant or subtype of penicillinase, an enzyme.
2. Penicillinase: Penicillinase is an enzyme responsible for the degradation of penicillin antibiotics. It was named after penicillin, the first widely used antibiotic, which was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928. The suffix "-ase" in penicillinase indicates an enzyme.
Therefore, "gamma Penicillinase" essentially means a variant or subtype of the enzyme penicillinase.
