Understanding How Beta-Lactamase Destroys Penicillin
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4 min read
Before the widespread use of penicillin in the 1940s, scientists identified a bacterial enzyme capable of destroying the antibiotic, the first beta-lactamase. This groundbreaking discovery revealed the existence of a powerful bacterial defense mechanism that fundamentally answers the question: Does beta-lactamase destroy penicillin? Yes, it does, by rendering the antibiotic inactive.
