Hygromycin may refer to either of two chemically dissimilar antibiotics produced by the bacterium ''
Streptomyces hygroscopicus
''Streptomyces hygroscopicus'' is a bacterial species in the genus '' Streptomyces''. It was first described by Hans Laurits Jensen in 1931.
Biochemistry
Cultures of different strains of ''S. hygroscopicus'' can be used to produce a number of ...
'':
*
Hygromycin A
Hygromycin A (also known as totomycin) is a modified cinnamic acid flanked by a furanose sugar and aminocyclitol (not to be confused with hygromycin B, belonging to an unrelated class of antibiotics, aminoglycosides). It is produced by '' Strepto ...
*
Hygromycin B
Hygromycin B is an antibiotic produced by the bacterium '' Streptomyces hygroscopicus''. It is an aminoglycoside that kills bacteria, fungi and higher eukaryotic cells by inhibiting protein synthesis.
History
Hygromycin B was originally develo ...
, an
aminoglycoside
Aminoglycoside is a medicinal and bacteriologic category of traditional Gram-negative antibacterial medications that inhibit protein synthesis and contain as a portion of the molecule an amino-modified glycoside (sugar). The term can also refer ...
that kills
bacteria
Bacteria (; singular: bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell. They constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria were among ...
,
fungi
A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from ...
and higher
eukaryotic
Eukaryotes () are organisms whose cells have a nucleus. All animals, plants, fungi, and many unicellular organisms, are Eukaryotes. They belong to the group of organisms Eukaryota or Eukarya, which is one of the three domains of life. Bacte ...
cells
{{chemistry index