How Do You Spell BETA-LACTAM?

Pronunciation: [bˈiːtəlˈaktam] (IPA)

The spelling of "beta-lactam" can be a bit tricky due to the presence of the unusual letter combination "ct" and the use of a Greek letter "beta." In phonetic transcription, the word can be represented as /ˈbeɪtə ˈlæktəm/. This means that the first syllable is pronounced "bay-tuh" and the second syllable is pronounced "lak-tuhm." The "ct" combination is pronounced as a "k" sound and the "a" in "lactam" is pronounced as a short "a" sound.

BETA-LACTAM Meaning and Definition

  1. Beta-lactams are a class of chemical compounds that possess a beta-lactam ring structure, consisting of a four-membered cyclic amide ring. This ring is characterized by having a carbonyl group (C=O) and an amine group (–NH) on adjacent carbon atoms, forming a resonance-stabilized structure. Beta-lactams exhibit a broad range of biological activities and have been extensively used as antibiotics due to their ability to inhibit bacterial cell wall synthesis.

    The most common and well-known beta-lactam antibiotics are penicillins and cephalosporins, which are widely used in the treatment of various bacterial infections. These compounds exert their antimicrobial effects by irreversibly binding to specific enzymes, known as penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs), which are involved in the synthesis of peptidoglycan, a major component of the bacterial cell wall. By inhibiting PBPs, beta-lactam antibiotics disrupt the formation of the cell wall, leading to cell lysis and bacterial death.

    Beta-lactams exist in various forms, including penicillins, cephalosporins, monobactams, and carbapenems. Each subclass possesses distinct structural modifications, resulting in variations in their spectrum of activity, pharmacokinetics, and susceptibility to beta-lactamases, enzymes produced by certain bacteria that can degrade and inactivate beta-lactam antibiotics.

    Due to the high prevalence of bacterial resistance, newer generations of beta-lactam antibiotics have been developed to combat the evolving resistance mechanisms. These modifications include extended-spectrum beta-lactams, which exhibit increased activity against Gram-negative bacteria, and beta-lactamase inhibitors, which are combined with specific beta-lactam antibiotics to overcome beta-lactam

Common Misspellings for BETA-LACTAM

  • veta-lactam
  • neta-lactam
  • heta-lactam
  • geta-lactam
  • bwta-lactam
  • bsta-lactam
  • bdta-lactam
  • brta-lactam
  • b4ta-lactam
  • b3ta-lactam
  • bera-lactam
  • befa-lactam
  • bega-lactam
  • beya-lactam
  • be6a-lactam
  • be5a-lactam
  • betz-lactam
  • bets-lactam
  • betw-lactam
  • betq-lactam

Etymology of BETA-LACTAM

The term "beta-lactam" is derived from the chemical structure of beta-lactam compounds. The prefix "beta" refers to the position of a specific carbon atom (the beta carbon) within the ring structure of the molecule. The term "lactam" is derived from "lactone", and both words are based on the Latin term "lac", which means milk. This is because these compounds were initially discovered in milk products, particularly in cheese, where beta-lactam compounds were first isolated. The ring structure of beta-lactam compounds resembles that of lactones, hence the use of the term "lactam" to describe this specific class of compounds. Beta-lactams are important as they serve as the chemical backbone of many antibiotics, such as penicillins and cephalosporins.

Infographic

Add the infographic to your website: