CYCLOHEXIMIDE Meaning and
Definition
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Cycloheximide is a chemical compound that serves as a protein synthesis inhibitor. It is a white or light yellow crystalline powder that is insoluble in water and soluble in organic solvents such as ethanol or methanol. Cycloheximide is derived from a bacterium called Streptomyces griseus and is commonly used in laboratory settings for various research purposes.
In the context of molecular biology and biochemistry, cycloheximide is frequently utilized to halt protein synthesis in eukaryotic cells. It does so by binding to the 60S ribosomal subunit in these cells, preventing the peptidyl transferase activity responsible for adding amino acids to the growing polypeptide chain. By inhibiting protein synthesis, cycloheximide allows researchers to analyze the short-term effects of blocking protein production in experimental systems.
Moreover, cycloheximide has been employed in various studies to investigate cellular processes, including the assessment of gene expression, determining protein half-life, and examining signaling pathways. Its inhibitory properties make it a valuable tool in molecular biology, allowing researchers to study the dynamic nature of protein synthesis and its relationship to different cellular mechanisms.
It is worth noting that cycloheximide can be toxic to some organisms, including humans, depending on the dose and exposure duration. Therefore, rigorous safety precautions should be implemented when handling this compound.
Common Misspellings for CYCLOHEXIMIDE
- xycloheximide
- vycloheximide
- fycloheximide
- dycloheximide
- ctcloheximide
- cgcloheximide
- c7cloheximide
- c6cloheximide
- cyxloheximide
- cyvloheximide
- cyfloheximide
- cydloheximide
- cyckoheximide
- cycpoheximide
- cycooheximide
- cycliheximide
- cyclkheximide
- cycllheximide
- cyclpheximide
- cycl0heximide
Etymology of CYCLOHEXIMIDE
The word "Cycloheximide" is derived from its chemical structure and composition. It combines the term "cyclohex-" with "-imide".
"Cyclohex-" refers to the cyclohexane ring structure, which is a six-membered ring of carbon atoms. It is called cyclohexane because it consists of a hexagon (hence "hex-") with a single carbon atom bonded to each corner.
The suffix "-imide" indicates the presence of an imide functional group. An imide is a compound containing two carbonyl (C=O) groups bound to a nitrogen (N) atom. In the case of cycloheximide, the imide group is formed by adding an oxygen (O) atom to the nitrogen atom of the cyclic backbone.
Idioms with the word CYCLOHEXIMIDE
Similar spelling word for CYCLOHEXIMIDE
