Part:BBa_K3419001
Tricosanthin
Note: All work on this basic part was done virtually through literature research due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Usage and Biology
Trichosanthin is a protein derived from Trichosanthes kirilowii, also known as the Chinese cucumber. It has been used in Eastern traditional medicine as an abortifacient and also functions as an antitumor agent due to its inactivation effect on eukaryotic ribosomes [1]. Trichosanthin is used in our project as an anti-cancer therapeutic protein that selectively kills tumor cells while leaving our engineered prokaryotic E. coli unaffected. We were able to confirm that E. coli would be able to produce this therapeutic based on a literature search (SOURCE #: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1399-3011.1992.tb01558.x). Thus, our bacteria would perform their intended function in our genetic circuit
Mechanism
Upon release into the cell, trichosanthin exhibits RNA N-glycosidase activity and depurinates the 28S rRNA of the 60S eukaryotic ribosomal subunit. This will achieve irreversible inactivation of eukaryotic ribosome activity and inhibit tumor cell function.
Figure 1. Trichosanthin is an inhibitor of protein synthesis that acts on mammalian ribosomes. Upon release into the cell, it exhibits RNA N-glycosidase activity and depurinates the 28S rRNA of the 60S eukaryotic ribosomal subunit. This will achieve irreversible inactivation of ribosome activity and inhibit tumor cell function.
Sequence and Features
- 10INCOMPATIBLE WITH RFC[10]Illegal PstI site found at 409
- 12INCOMPATIBLE WITH RFC[12]Illegal PstI site found at 409
- 21COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[21]
- 23INCOMPATIBLE WITH RFC[23]Illegal PstI site found at 409
- 25INCOMPATIBLE WITH RFC[25]Illegal PstI site found at 409
Illegal NgoMIV site found at 456 - 1000COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[1000]
| None |