Description
Ticarcillin Disodium Salt — β-Lactam Antibiotic for Plant Tissue Culture & Microbiology
Product Overview
Ticarcillin Disodium Salt is a broad-spectrum, semisynthetic β-lactam antibiotic belonging to the carboxypenicillin group. Structurally related to carbenicillin, ticarcillin inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis and is particularly useful in plant tissue culture, Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, microbiology, and antibiotic susceptibility research.
In plant biotechnology, ticarcillin is commonly used following Agrobacterium-mediated transformation to suppress or eliminate residual bacteria after co-cultivation. Its activity against many Gram-negative bacteria makes it especially useful for controlling Agrobacterium while transformed plant tissues undergo selection, callus formation, and regeneration.
Ticarcillin disodium is also the principal antibiotic component of Timentin™ (ticarcillin/clavulanate). Unlike Timentin, however, ticarcillin disodium does not contain the β-lactamase inhibitor clavulanate, making it useful when researchers specifically require ticarcillin alone or wish to independently control antibiotic and β-lactamase inhibitor concentrations.
Key Specifications & Identity
| Property |
Value / Description |
| Product Name |
Ticarcillin Disodium Salt |
| Catalog Number |
T-380 |
| Antibiotic Class |
β-Lactam; carboxypenicillin |
| CAS Number |
29457-07-6 |
| PubChem CID |
470375 |
| Molecular Formula |
C₁₅H₁₄N₂Na₂O₆S₂ |
| Molecular Weight |
428.4 g/mol |
| Storage |
Store desiccated at -20°C |
| Form |
Disodium salt |
| General Solubility |
Water soluble |
| Research Use |
Plant tissue culture, Agrobacterium suppression, microbiology, antibiotic research |
Mechanism of Action
Ticarcillin inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis by targeting penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) involved in the final stages of peptidoglycan assembly. Binding and inactivation of these enzymes prevents proper cross-linking of peptidoglycan chains, compromising cell wall integrity and ultimately resulting in bacterial cell lysis.
Like other β-lactam antibiotics, ticarcillin is most effective against actively growing and dividing bacteria undergoing cell wall synthesis.
Applications
Agrobacterium-Mediated Plant Transformation
Ticarcillin is particularly useful for suppressing Agrobacterium following transformation. After plant explants have undergone co-cultivation with Agrobacterium tumefaciens or related strains, ticarcillin can be incorporated into tissue culture media to control residual bacterial growth while transformed plant cells are selected and regenerated.
Applications include:
-
Agrobacterium-mediated transformation
-
Post-co-cultivation bacterial suppression
-
Plant callus culture
-
Shoot and root regeneration
-
Transgenic plant selection workflows
-
Plant tissue and organ culture
Microbiology & Antibiotic Research
Ticarcillin can also be used as a research antibiotic for:
-
Antimicrobial susceptibility studies
-
β-Lactam resistance research
-
Penicillin-binding protein studies
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Bacterial cell wall research
-
β-Lactamase studies
-
Antibiotic combination and synergy experiments
Ticarcillin vs. Timentin™
GoldBio offers both Ticarcillin Disodium Salt and Timentin™, allowing researchers to select the formulation best suited to their application.
Ticarcillin Disodium Salt contains ticarcillin alone and is appropriate when β-lactamase inhibition is unnecessary or when researchers want direct control over their antibiotic formulation.
Timentin™ combines ticarcillin with the β-lactamase inhibitor clavulanate at a 15:1 ratio. Clavulanate inhibits susceptible bacterial β-lactamases that could otherwise degrade ticarcillin, potentially providing more persistent suppression of Agrobacterium and other β-lactamase-producing bacteria.
Usage & Handling Notes
-
Prepare aqueous stock solutions using sterile water or an appropriate buffer.
-
Filter sterilization is generally preferred for antibiotic stock solutions rather than autoclaving.
-
Add sterile antibiotic solutions to culture media after the medium has cooled sufficiently following autoclaving.
-
Optimal concentrations vary considerably by plant species, tissue type, Agrobacterium strain, and transformation protocol; researchers should optimize concentrations for their individual system.
-
Extended exposure to β-lactam antibiotics may affect plant tissue differently depending on species and developmental stage, so appropriate untreated and antibiotic-treated controls are recommended.
-
When bacterial suppression with ticarcillin alone is insufficient, a ticarcillin/clavulanate formulation such as Timentin™ may be considered.
Why Ticarcillin for Plant Transformation?
Effective Agrobacterium elimination is an important step in successful plant transformation. Insufficient suppression can allow bacteria to overgrow plant tissues, while inappropriate antibiotic conditions may interfere with regeneration.
Ticarcillin provides researchers with a water-soluble β-lactam antibiotic well suited to post-transformation bacterial control, while the single-component formulation provides flexibility for researchers developing or optimizing their own plant tissue culture protocols.
For research use only. Not for human or veterinary therapeutic use.
