The enzymes are of varying specificity, some acting more rapidly on penicillins (penicillinases), some more rapidly on cephalosporins (cephalosporinases); ...
All penicillins are readily inactivated by chemical or enzymic hydrolysis of the strained four‐membered β‐lactam ring, cold dilute acid yielding penicillamine, and alkali or penicillinases and other β‐lactamases forming the corresponding substituted penicilloic acids.
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penicillinase - a trivial name for any β ‐lactamase that acts preferentially on penicillins
