tyrocidin
Definition
Noun: 1. A basic polypeptide antibiotic: A type of antibiotic substance that is a polypeptide (a chain of amino acids) with basic chemical properties. It is derived from the soil bacterium Bacillus brevis and is effective primarily against Gram-positive bacteria.
Usage
- General Use: "Tyrocidin" is a technical term used in microbiology, medicine, and pharmacology. It refers to a specific antibiotic compound.
- Context: It is almost exclusively used in scientific and medical contexts when discussing antibiotics, bacterial agents, or the history of antimicrobial discovery.
Examples
- Noun:
- The researcher isolated tyrocidin from the bacterial culture.
- Tyrocidin is one of the first antibiotics to be studied in detail.
- Due to its toxicity to human cells, tyrocidin is primarily used in topical applications.
Advanced Usage
- Historical Context: Tyrocidin, along with gramicidin, was a key component of tyrothricin, which was one of the first antibiotic mixtures to be commercially produced. Its discovery paved the way for later antibiotics.
- Mode of Action: Tyrocidin works by disrupting the cell membrane of susceptible bacteria, leading to cell death.
Variants and Related Words
- Tyrothricin (noun): The original antibiotic mixture from which tyrocidin was isolated. Tyrothricin contains both tyrocidin and gramicidin.
- Polypeptide (noun): A linear organic polymer consisting of a large number of amino-acid residues bonded together in a chain, forming part of (or the whole of) a protein molecule. Tyrocidin is a type of polypeptide.
- Gramicidin (noun): Another polypeptide antibiotic derived from and a component of tyrothricin, often mentioned alongside tyrocidin.
Synonyms
- Antibiotic polypeptide: A descriptive synonym highlighting its function and chemical nature.
- Membrane-disrupting antibiotic: A functional synonym describing its mechanism of action.
Notes on Meaning
- Specificity: The term "tyrocidin" refers specifically to this single compound. It is not a general term for antibiotics.
- Major Component: The definition notes it is a "major component of tyrothricin." This means tyrocidin is a primary constituent of that broader antibiotic mixture, not that tyrocidin itself is a mixture.
Noun
-
a basic polypeptide antibiotic derived from a soil bacterium; a major component of tyrothricin
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