1 The Antibiotics: An Overview. - I. Definition. - II. Chemical Nature. - III. Producing Microorganisms. - IV. Biosynthesis. - V. Activity and Resistance. - VI. Mechanism of Action. - VII. Chemotherapy. - VIII. Chemical Modifications. - IX. Principal Classes of Antibiotics. - 2 Activity of the Antibiotics. - I. Definition. - II. Determination of the Minimal Inhibitory Concentration in Liquid Medium. - III. Determination of the Minimal Inhibitory Concentration in Solid Medium. - IV. Determination of Antibiotic Activity by the Agar Diffusion Test. - V. Factors Affecting the Determination of Antibiotic Activity. - VI. Determination of the Minimal Bactericidal Concentration. - VII. The Antibiogram (Bacterial Sensitivity Test). - VIII. Spectrum of Antibiotic Activity. - IX. Interaction of Antibiotics. - X. Recent Microbiological Techniques: Miniaturization and Automation. - 3 Mechanism of Action of the Antibiotics. - I. Relationship Between the Mechanism of Action and the Selectivity of the Antibiotics. - II. Methods for Study of the Mechanism of Action of Antibiotics. - III. Inhibitors of Cell Wall Synthesis. - IV. Inhibitors of Transcription and Replication of Genetic Material. - V. Inhibitors of Protein Synthesis. - VI. Inhibitors of Cell Membrane Functions. - VII. The Antimetabolites. - 4 Resistance of Microorganisms to Antibiotics. - I. General Aspects. - II. Biochemical Bases of Resistance. - III. Genetic Aspects. - 5 Activities of the Antibiotics in Relation to Their Structures. - I. Introduction. - II. ?-Lactam Antibiotics. - III. Tetracyclines. - TV. Aminoglycosides. - V. Macrolides. - VI. Ansamycins. - VII. Peptide Antibiotics. - VIII. Miscellaneous Antibiotics. - 6 Biosynthesis of Antibiotics. - I. Primary and Secondary Metabolites. - II. Methods of Study. - III. Antibiotics Derived from a Single PrimaryMetabolite. - IV. Antibiotics Derived by Condensation of Several Metabolites. - V. Antibiotics Derived by Oligomer or Polymer Formation. - 7 Search for and Development of New Antibiotics. - I. Search for New Antibiotics. - II. Development of an Antibiotic from the Laboratory to the Clinic. - III. Development: From the Laboratory to the Manufacturing Process. - 8 The Use of Antibiotics. - I. Chemotherapy of Infectious Diseases. - II. Uses Other than Human Pharmacology. - III. Antibiotics as Research Tools. - 9 Antibiotics and Producer Organisms. - I. Classes of Antibiotics and Taxonomic Positions of Producing Organisms. - II. Paradox: How to Avoid Suicide. - III. Hypotheses about the Function(s) of Antibiotics in Producing Organisms. - Further Readings. Language: English