PENICILLINASE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does penicillinase mean? 

• PENICILLINASE (noun)
  The noun PENICILLINASE has 1 sense:

1. enzyme produced by certain bacteria that inactivates penicillin and results in resistance to that antibiotic

  Familiarity information: PENICILLINASE used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PENICILLINASE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Enzyme produced by certain bacteria that inactivates penicillin and results in resistance to that antibiotic

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

beta-lactamase; penicillinase

Hypernyms ("penicillinase" is a kind of...):

enzyme (any of several complex proteins that are produced by cells and act as catalysts in specific biochemical reactions)

 Context examples 

Erapenem is resistant to hydrolysis by a variety of beta-lactamases, including penicillinases, cephalosporinases and extended-spectrum beta-lactamases.

(Ertapenem Sodium, NCI Thesaurus)

This agent is stable against hydrolysis by a variety of beta-lactamases, including penicillinases, cephalosporinases and extended-spectrum beta-lactamases.

(Ertapenem, NCI Thesaurus)