Gentamicin is a broad-spectrum aminoglycoside antibiotic. Gentamicin can be used prophylactically in cell culture or as a microbiological selection agent. Bacterial protein biosynthesis is inhibited by the binding of Gentamicin to the 30S subunit of the ribosome.
Technical Advantage: Effective against Gram-positive and -negative bacteria. An antibiotic agent, gentamicin inhibits protein synthesis by binding to the 30S ribosomal subunit, blocking the translocation of peptidyl-tRNA from the acceptor site to the donor site. In another mode of action, gentamicin acts on Pseudomonas aeruginosa by binding to the outer membrane of this bacterium. In doing so, it displaces natural cations, destabilizes the membrane, and forms holes in the cell surface. Gentamicin acts against Gram-negative bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and other Gram-positive bacteria.