Gentamicin exerts its bactericidal effect by binding irreversibly to the bacterial 30S ribosomal subunit, causing misreading of mRNA codons and blocking translocation of peptidyl-tRNA, thereby halting protein synthesis. As a fermentation product, gentamicin sulfate is not a single defined molecule but a complex of closely related components (gentamicin C1, C1a, C2, C2a, C2b), each requiring approximately five equivalents of sulfuric acid per mole of gentamicin base for salt formation --- which is why its composition is described as a formula range rather than a fixed molecular formula.
Gentamicin sulfate is a broad-spectrum aminoglycoside antibiotic complex produced by fermentation of Micromonospora purpurea or M. echinospora. Supplied here as ready-to-use sterile-filtered aqueous solutions (10 mg/mL and 50 mg/mL), it is widely used both as a therapeutic antibacterial agent and as a cell culture selection/contamination-control reagent.
| Chemical Name | Gentamicin Sulfate (Aminoglycoside Complex) |
| CAS Number | 1405-41-0 |
| IUPAC Name | Gentamicin Sulfate (Aminoglycoside Antibiotic Complex, Sulfate Salt) |
| Molecular Formula | N/A |
| Molecular Weight | N/A |
Broad-spectrum treatment for serious Gram-negative (and select Gram-positive) bacterial infections, including Pseudomonas, Proteus, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus species.
Widely used as a selection/antimicrobial agent in cell culture media to prevent bacterial contamination and select for gentamicin-resistance gene constructs.
Incorporated into antibacterial wound dressing scaffolds and topical formulations for sustained-release infection control.
Used as a USP-referenced potency standard for gentamicin-containing drug product quality control.
Antimicrob. Agents Chemother.
J. Infect. Chemother.
Polymer Bulletin
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