What is Actidione?

Actidione (also known as Cycloheximide) is used as an selective antibiotic. It inhibits the protein synthesis (DNA-dependent RNA) of saprobic fungi eukaryotes. by binding with the 80S ribosome, while inactive against dermatophytes and systemic fungi. But it is not active against prokaryotes. it is used in the selection of wild type genes. Actidione is used as a plant growth regulator to stimulate ethylene production. It is used as a rodenticide and other animal pesticide. Actidione is used as a media to detect to unwanted bacteria by suppressing yeasts and molds in beer fermentation. Some products such as nisin have this effective function as a preservative for food and beverage. But cycloheximide is highly toxic is not suitable for human use as a therapeutic antibiotic. Agricultural application also is decreasing due to the health risks. It is used as an agent effective against psoriasis.
Actidione is an inhibitor of protein biosynthesis in eukaryotic organisms, produced by the bacterium Streptomyces griseus. Cycloheximide exerts its effect by interfering with the translocation step in protein synthesis (movement of two tRNA molecules and mRNA in relation to the ribosome) thus blocking translational elongation. Cycloheximide is widely used in biomedical research to inhibit protein synthesis in eukaryotic cells studied in vitro (i.e. outside of organisms). It is inexpensive and works rapidly. Its effects are rapidly reversed by simply removing it from the culture medium.
Due to significant toxic side effects, including DNA damage, teratogenesis, and other reproductive effects (including birth defects and toxicity to sperm), cycloheximide is generally used only in in vitro research applications, and is not suitable for human use as a therapeutic compound. Although it has been used as a fungicide in agricultural applications, this application is now decreasing as the health risks have become better understood.
Cycloheximide is degraded by alkali (pH > 7), decontamination of work surfaces and containers can be achieved by washing with a non-harmful alkali solution such as soap.
Since cycloheximide is an effective inhibitor of protein biosynthesis in eukaryotes only, it may be used to distinguish between proteins translated in the mitochondria and proteins translated in the cytosol. mRNA translated in cytosol or ER from mRNA derived from the nucleus will not be expressed in the presence of cycloheximide. Conversely, translation using mitochondrial ribosomes is unaffected by cycloheximide, and mitochondrial genes will continue to be expressed.
More about: Actidione sale
Read more: Bacteria