Definition
penicillinases
noun
- Plural of penicillinase; enzymes produced by certain bacteria that break down penicillin antibiotics and render them ineffective.
Usage: technical; medical/scientific
Examples
- Bacteria that produce penicillinases are resistant to penicillin-based antibiotics.
- The emergence of penicillinases in pathogenic bacteria has complicated antibiotic treatment strategies.
- Researchers study penicillinases to develop new antibiotics that can overcome bacterial resistance.
- Some strains of Staphylococcus aureus secrete penicillinases to survive penicillin exposure.
- The discovery of penicillinases led to the development of beta-lactamase inhibitors.