Penicillin/Streptomycin Solution

A Penicillin/Streptomycin Solution (commonly called Pen-Strep) is a sterile, broad-spectrum antibiotic mixture used to prevent bacterial contamination in cell cultures.

Key Details

Composition (100X Concentration): Typically contains 10,000 units/mL of Penicillin and 10 mg/mL (or 10,000 µg/mL) of Streptomycin.

Mechanism of Action:

• Penicillin blocks bacterial cell wall synthesis (effective against Gram-positive bacteria).
• Streptomycin binds to the 30S ribosomal subunit to inhibit protein synthesis (effective against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria).

Application: Added as a supplement to cell culture media (standard recommended usage is 10 mL/L or a 1:100 dilution) to maintain sterility without harming mammalian cells.

Storage: Usually stored frozen at -20°C.