Penicillin Flashcards
Which fungus produces and secretes Penicillin?
Penicillinium notatum
Who is credited with the discovery of Penicillin?
Alexander Fleming (1928)
What THREE people are generally credited with developing Penicillin for medical use?
- Howard Florey
- Ernst Chain
- Norman Heatley
What were the key contributions to the development of Penicillin by Norman Heatley?
- Determined a method to extract stable Penicillin
- Developed large scale growth and extraction techniques
- Tested penicillin against Streptococcus in mice
Who was first treated using Penicillin?
Albert Alexander (1941)
How was large scale production able to happen when moved to NRRL in Illinois?
- Changed strains of penicillin fungus
- Changed growth medium to corn steep liquor
- Mutagenised and improved strain
What fungus strain replaced Penicillium notatum
Penicillium chyrsogenum
(Now known as P. rubens)
Where was P. chyrsogenum isolated from?
A spoiled canteloupe
Who is credited with the discovery of P. chyrsogenum?
Moldy Mary
When did large scale production of Penicillin begin?
1944/1945
Who was the first SUCCESSFUL treatment using Penicillin?
Ann Miller (1942)
Penicillin/antibiotics must be SELECTIVELY TOXIC.
What does that mean?
- Affect the target bacterium, not the host
- Impair functions or structures not present in the host
What bacterial cell structure does Penicillin target?
The cell wall
How does Penicillin inhibit the synthesis of the bacterial cell wall?
Prevents the formation of cross-links between the peptidoglycan layers
Does Penicillin target Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria?
Gram-positive
(Thick cell wall)
