Microbial Resistance to Penicillin as Related to Penicillinase or Penicillin Acylase Activity

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Abstract
The penicillin moiety, 6 aminopenicillanic acid, has antibacterial activity against representative gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria but is considerably less active than penicillin. Resistance to penicillin in one group of bacteria, e.g. Escherichia coli, etc., could be explained logically by presence of penicillinase activity, i.e., conversion of penicillin to the inactive penicilloic acid. Resistance to penicillin in a 2d group of bacteria, e.g., Aerobacteria aerogenes, etc., could be explained logically by the presence of penicillin acylase activity, i.e., conversion of penicillin to the relatively inactive 6-aminopenicillanic acid. In a 3d group of bacteria, e.g., Proteus vulgaris, etc., resistant to penicillin, neither penicillinase nor penicillin acylase activity could be detected. Still another metabolic mechanism other than penicillinase or penicillin acylase activity must be present in such selected bacteria.

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