Description
Erythromycin, min. 93 %, for biochemistry, Molar mass (M) 733,95 g/mol, Density (D) 1,21 g/cm³, CAS No. 114-07-8, EC No. 204-040-1, Empirical formula C37H67NO13
Erythromycin is a macrolide antibiotic (macrocyclic lactone antibiotic) which is produced from an actinomycete strain (Saccharopolyspora erythraea, formerly known as Streptomyces erythraeus). Its spectrum of activity is similar to but broader than that of penicillin, which means that erythromycin is also very effective against bacteria such as legionella or mycoplasma.
Erythromycin binds to the bacterial 70s rRNA, interferes with the aminoacyl translocation and consequently inhibits biosynthesis. It is used in microbiological fungal culture to prevent bacterial growth and as a selection marker for selection on bacteria with an erythromycin resistance-mediating gene cassette (erm).