Question

Ernest Chain and Howard Florey’s contribution was

• A. discovery of streptokinase
• B. establishing the potential of penicillin as an effective antibiotic
• C. discovery of the DNA sequencer
• D. isolating the bacterial plasmid
• E. production of genetically engineered insulin

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

Pencillin was the first antibiotic to be discovered by Alexander Fleming (1928) when he noticed that Penicillium notatum itself could inhibit growth of Staphylococcus aureus. The antibiotic was however, commercially extracted by efforts of Chain and Florey and was extensively used in treating wounded soldiers in world war II. Fleming, Chain and Florey were awarded Noble Prize in 1945.