Chapter 10, Problem 9Q

Summary Introduction

To determine:

The organisms that first possessed beta-lactamases, along with the reason for the same.

Introduction:

Many antibiotics are not effective against bacteria that produce the enzyme beta-lactamase. It is an enzyme produced by bacteria like various strains of Staphylococci. It includes the penicillinase enzyme that damages the $\text{β}-$ lactam ring of most types of penicillin, like penicillin G. This occurs as a result of disruption of internal structure of a particular antibiotic by this enzyme, leading to antibiotic resistance in bacteria.