from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
actinomycin \actinomycin\ n. [From actinomyces, the genus of the
organism in which they were first found.]
1. any of various red antibiotics isolated from soil bacteria
with a three-ring heterocyclic nucleus with an attached
peptide chain.
Note: Actinomycin D is the most well-known and has been used
to treat certain tumors. They act by binding to DNA and
inhibiting the transcription of RNA. Their binding to
DNA has been much studied.
Syn: actinomycin {actinomycin C} {actinomycin F1}
{actinomycin D}
[WordNet 1.5]