CHEM 112 Study Guide - Final Guide: Positron Emission Tomography, Chiral Auxiliary, Principal Quantum Number

• School: Queen's University
• Department: Chemistry
• Course: CHEM 112
• Professor: Nicholas Mosey

Document Summary

A bacteriologist mistakenly left a petri dish open and noticed a blue-green mold developed which prevented the growth of his bacteria. This antibacterial fungus later became known as penicillin. This antibiotic drug saved more lives across the world than any other pharmaceutical drug. The ter(cid:373) (cid:862)pe(cid:374)i(cid:272)illi(cid:374)s(cid:863) is used as a (cid:272)olle(cid:272)ti(cid:448)e (cid:374)a(cid:373)e for a group of stru(cid:272)turall(cid:455) si(cid:373)ilar (cid:374)atural a(cid:374)d synthetic substances. A distinctive feature of penicillins is the four membered beta-lactam ring, responsible for antibacterial properties of these drugs. This beta-lactam ring is highly reactive and irreversibly binds to the enzyme transpeptidase in bacteria. This weakens their cell wall causing water to flow into the bacteria until the water pressure bursts the bacteria open. Hu(cid:373)a(cid:374) a(cid:374)d other a(cid:374)i(cid:373)al (cid:272)ells do(cid:374)"t ha(cid:448)e (cid:272)ell (cid:449)alls therefore are (cid:374)ot affe(cid:272)ted (cid:271)(cid:455) pe(cid:374)i(cid:272)illi(cid:374) Certain bacteria mutated and developed varying degrees of antibiotic resistance due to increased production of enzyme called penicillinase. This enzyme could deactivate penicillin and preventing it from binding to transpeptidase.