Hygromycin B is an antibiotic which is used in molecular and cell biology to select for transformed cells expressing the hygromycin resistance gene.1,2 It is an aminoglycoside produced by the bacterium S. hygroscopicus which kills prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells by inhibiting protein synthesis.3,4 The hygromycin resistance gene (hyg or hph) encodes a phosphotransferase which inhibits hygromycin through phosphorylation.2
1.Kaster, K.R., Burgett, S.G., Rao, R.N., et al.Analysis of a bacterial hygromycin B resistance gene by transcriptional and translational fusions and by DNA sequencingNucleic Acids Research11(19)6895-6911(1983) 2.Blochlinger, K., and Diggelmann, H.Hygromycin B phosphotransferase as a selectable marker for DNA transfer experiments with higher eucaryotic cellsMolecular and Cellular Biology4(12)2929-2931(1984) 3.Eustice, D.C., and Wilhelm, J.M.Mechanisms of action of aminoglycoside antibiotics in eucaryotic protein synthesisAntimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy26(1)53-60(1984) 4.CabaÑas, M.J., VÁzquez, D., and Modolell, J.Dual interference of hygromycin B with ribosomal translocation and with aminoacyl-tRNA recognitionEuropean Journal of Biochemistry8721-27(1978)