By copying bacterial enzymes, lab quickly learns to synthesize new class of antibiotic molecules cleanly, efficiently
Tuesday, May 30, 2017 - 15:52
in Biology & Nature
The active component of the wonder drug penicillin and related antibiotics such as the cephalosporins is an "enchanted ring," called the β-lactam ring. Antibiotics that include these rings are arguably the most important drugs in human history, having singlehandedly increased global life expectancy by an estimated five years.