2006-07-15 03:26:26 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
Beta-Lactam antibiotics are amongst the most commonly used antibiotics in the world including the most famous, penicillin.
The name comes from a chemical ring that is conserved in the structure of all these antibiotics.
They work by blocking construction of the cell wall of bacteria.
2006-07-15 07:44:24 · answer #1 · answered by the last ninja 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
betalactam is a protien found in the cell walls of certain types of bacteria. Some antibiotics contain an enzyme called betalactamase, also derived from a bacterium, which destroys the betalactam ring. It is a type of defense mechanism some bacteria have evolved inorder to kill other bacteria.
2006-07-15 15:58:54 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Beta-lactamase is a type of enzyme (EC 3.5.2.6) produced by some bacteria that is responsible for their resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics like penicillins, cephalosporins, cephamycins and carbapenems. These antibiotics have a common element in their molecular structure: a four-atom ring known as a beta-lactam. The lactamase enzyme breaks that ring open, deactivating the molecule's antibacterial properties.
The structure of a Streptomyces β lactamase is given by PDB 1BSG.
2006-07-15 09:03:26 · answer #3 · answered by qwq 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
beta-lactam is found in antibiotics such as penicillin and kills bacteria...
check out the link i found and see if it helps you
2006-07-15 05:27:05 · answer #4 · answered by jennieb83 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋