The scope and potential of antibiotic conversion by microorganisms.

: Almost 50 antibiotics have been reported to be modified microbiologically and the changes observed were grouped into 16 types of reactions. Most of the products of the reactions were antibiotically inactive, several have assumed a considerable clinical significance and others are of real or potential economic value. The catalysis in most instances has been effected by whole cells and in a few cases the respective enzymes were isolated, purified and crystallized.