Absence of Penicillin-Degrading Enzymes in Penicillin-Resistant Strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Abstract
Penicillin-resistant and -susceptible strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae were evaluated for the presence of enzymes capable of degrading penicillin by incubation of [ 14 C]benzylpenicillin with resting-cell suspensions of N. gonorrhoeae followed by extraction and chromatography of the labeled antibiotic. No degradative activity was observed.