Definition

Noun: 1. A blue crystalline pigment with antibiotic properties: Pyocyanin is a blue-green phenazine compound produced by certain bacteria, notably Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It functions as a virulence factor and has antimicrobial activity against some other microorganisms. It is characteristically found in infected wounds, giving pus a greenish color.

Usage Examples

• The laboratory confirmed the presence of in the culture, identifying the infection as .
• The characteristic blue-green color of the wound drainage was due to .
• Researchers are studying the antibiotic mechanisms of .

Advanced Usage

• As a biological marker: In clinical microbiology, the production of pyocyanin is a key diagnostic feature for identifying .
  • The isolate's ability to produce pyocyanin on cetrimide agar confirmed the diagnosis.
• In research contexts: Pyocyanin is studied for its role in bacterial communication (quorum sensing), its toxicity to human cells, and its potential applications.
  • The study focused on how pyocyanin facilitates anaerobic survival of the bacteria.

Variants and Related Words

• Pyocyanic (adjective): Relating to or characterized by pyocyanin.
  • The pyocyanic pigment is a hallmark of the infection.
• Pyocyanogenic (adjective): Capable of producing pyocyanin.
  • Pyocyanogenic strains are of particular clinical concern.

Synonyms

• Antibiotic pigment (descriptive synonym)
• Phenazine pigment (chemical class synonym)

Notes on Different Meanings

The word "pyocyanin" has a highly specialized, single meaning in microbiology and medicine. It does not have common idiomatic or figurative uses. Its definition is strictly tied to the specific blue-green compound produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Noun

1. a toxic blue crystalline antibiotic found in green pus