Penicillin

Question 1

Which fungus produces and secretes Penicillin?

Answer 1

Penicillinium notatum

Question 2

Who is credited with the discovery of Penicillin?

Answer 2

Alexander Fleming (1928)

Question 3

What THREE people are generally credited with developing Penicillin for medical use?

Answer 3

1. Howard Florey
2. Ernst Chain
3. Norman Heatley

Question 4

What were the key contributions to the development of Penicillin by Norman Heatley?

Answer 4

• Determined a method to extract stable Penicillin
• Developed large scale growth and extraction techniques
• Tested penicillin against Streptococcus in mice

Question 5

Who was first treated using Penicillin?

Answer 5

Albert Alexander (1941)

Question 6

How was large scale production able to happen when moved to NRRL in Illinois?

Answer 6

• Changed strains of penicillin fungus
• Changed growth medium to corn steep liquor
• Mutagenised and improved strain

Question 7

What fungus strain replaced Penicillium notatum

Answer 7

Penicillium chyrsogenum

(Now known as P. rubens)

Question 8

Where was P. chyrsogenum isolated from?

Answer 8

A spoiled canteloupe

Question 9

Who is credited with the discovery of P. chyrsogenum?

Answer 9

Moldy Mary

Question 10

When did large scale production of Penicillin begin?

Answer 10

1944/1945

Question 11

Who was the first SUCCESSFUL treatment using Penicillin?

Answer 11

Ann Miller (1942)

Question 12

Penicillin/antibiotics must be SELECTIVELY TOXIC.

What does that mean?

Answer 12

• Affect the target bacterium, not the host
• Impair functions or structures not present in the host

Question 13

What bacterial cell structure does Penicillin target?

Answer 13

The cell wall

Question 14

How does Penicillin inhibit the synthesis of the bacterial cell wall?

Answer 14

Prevents the formation of cross-links between the peptidoglycan layers

Question 15

Does Penicillin target Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria?

Answer 15

Gram-positive

(Thick cell wall)

Question 16

What TWO bacteria did Hans Christian Gram develop a staining method to distinguish between?

Answer 16

• Klebsiella pneumonia (-ve)
• Streptococcus pneumoniae (+ve)

NOTE: Gram-postive bacteria are stained PURPLE

Question 17

What are some common examples of GRAM-NEGATIVE bacteria?

Answer 17

1. Escherichia coli (E.coli)
2. Klebsiella pneumonia
3. Salmonella enterica

Question 18

What are some example of GRAM-POSITIVE bacteria?

Answer 18

1. Staphylococcus aureus
2. Streptococcus pyogenes
3. Clostridium
4. Listeria monocytogenes