Absence of penicillin-degrading enzymes in penicillin-resistant strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Penicillin-resistant and -susceptible strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae were evaluated for the presence of enzymes capable of degrading penicillin by incubation of [(14)C]benzylpenicillin with resting-cell suspensions of N. gonorrhoeae followed by extraction and chromatography of the labeled antibiotic. No degradative activity was observed.