Hygromycin B

Hygromycin B is an aminoglycoside antibiotic that inhibits the growth of prokaryotic organisms (such as bacteria), eukaryotic microorganisms (such as yeast, fungi), and mammalian cells. It works by interfering with the 70S ribosome's translational process, inhibiting protein synthesis and causing misreading of mRNA.
The hygromycin B resistance gene (hyg or hph), derived from Escherichia coli, encodes hygromycin B phosphotransferase, which converts hygromycin B into a non-toxic phosphorylated product, thereby detoxifying the antibiotic. Based on this principle, hygromycin B is a valuable selective marker for screening and maintaining prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells that have successfully been transfected with the hygromycin resistance gene. Additionally, due to its different mode of action, hygromycin B is often used in combination with other antibiotics such as G418 (Geneticin), Zeocin, and Blasticidin S to select for double-resistant cell lines.
Hygromycin B also serves as an antiviral agent, as it selectively enters cells with enhanced permeability due to viral infection, where it exerts its translational inhibition effect. It can also be mixed into animal feed to act as a deworming agent.

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