mitomycin Biochem.
(maɪtəʊˈmaɪsɪn)
[f. mito- (perh. representing Gr. µίτος thread or mitosis, mitochondrion, etc.: the allusion is not explained by the (Japanese) authors of the name) + -mycin.]
An antibiotic active against some bacteria and tumour cells that is produced by the soil bacterium Streptomyces cæspitosus; also any of the three (or more) slightly different molecular species (as those designated mitomycin A, B, and C) into which preparations of this antibiotic can be resolved.
| 1956 T. Hata et al. in Jrnl. Antibiotics (Tokyo) A. IX. 141 (heading) Mitomycin, a new antibiotic from Streptomyces. Ibid. 145 Mitomycins have a high antibacterial activity against gram positive and gram negative bacteria. 1958 Antibiotics & Chemotherapy VIII. S[treptomyces] caespitosus, which produces mainly mitomycin A and B in some cultural conditions, produces mitomycin C exclusively under other conditions. 1968 [see induction 9 d]. |