Pederin
Encyclopedia
Pederin is a vesicant toxic amide
with two tetrahydropyran
rings, found in the haemolymph of the Paederus
genus of beetles, including the Nairobi fly
, belonging to the Staphylinidae family. It was first characterized by processing 25 million field-collected P. fuscipes. It makes up approximately 0.025% of an insects weight (for P. fuscipes).
It has been demonstrated that the production of pederin relies on the activities of an endosymbiont
(Pseudomonas
ssp.) within Paederus.
The manufacture of pederin is largely confined to adult female beetles—larvae and males only store pederin acquired maternally (i.e., through eggs) or by ingestion.
at levels as low as 1 ng/ml, by inhibiting protein and DNA synthesis without affecting RNA synthesis, prevents cell division, and has been shown to extend the life of mice bearing a variety of tumors. For these reasons, it has garnered interest as a potential anti-cancer
treatment.
Amide
In chemistry, an amide is an organic compound that contains the functional group consisting of a carbonyl group linked to a nitrogen atom . The term refers both to a class of compounds and a functional group within those compounds. The term amide also refers to deprotonated form of ammonia or an...
with two tetrahydropyran
Tetrahydropyran
Tetrahydropyran is the organic compound consisting of a saturated six-membered ring containing five carbon atoms and one oxygen atom. The compound is a colourless volatile liquid, but is obscure. Derivatives of tetrahydropyran are, however, more common. Tetrahydropyranyl ethers derived from the...
rings, found in the haemolymph of the Paederus
Paederus
Paederus is a genus of small beetles of the family Staphylinidae . Due to toxins in the hemolymph of many species within this genus, it has given its name to paederus dermatitis, a characteristic skin irritation that occurs if one of the insects is crushed against skin...
genus of beetles, including the Nairobi fly
Nairobi fly
The name Nairobi fly or Kenya fly is applied to two species of beetle which live in East Africa, Paederus crebinpunctatus and Paederus sabaeus. They are species of the rove beetle genus Paederus, and are black and red in colour, and about 6–10 mm long...
, belonging to the Staphylinidae family. It was first characterized by processing 25 million field-collected P. fuscipes. It makes up approximately 0.025% of an insects weight (for P. fuscipes).
It has been demonstrated that the production of pederin relies on the activities of an endosymbiont
Endosymbiont
An endosymbiont is any organism that lives within the body or cells of another organism, i.e. forming an endosymbiosis...
(Pseudomonas
Pseudomonas
Pseudomonas is a genus of gammaproteobacteria, belonging to the family Pseudomonadaceae containing 191 validly described species.Recently, 16S rRNA sequence analysis has redefined the taxonomy of many bacterial species. As a result, the genus Pseudomonas includes strains formerly classified in the...
ssp.) within Paederus.
The manufacture of pederin is largely confined to adult female beetles—larvae and males only store pederin acquired maternally (i.e., through eggs) or by ingestion.
Mode of action
Pederin blocks mitosisMitosis
Mitosis is the process by which a eukaryotic cell separates the chromosomes in its cell nucleus into two identical sets, in two separate nuclei. It is generally followed immediately by cytokinesis, which divides the nuclei, cytoplasm, organelles and cell membrane into two cells containing roughly...
at levels as low as 1 ng/ml, by inhibiting protein and DNA synthesis without affecting RNA synthesis, prevents cell division, and has been shown to extend the life of mice bearing a variety of tumors. For these reasons, it has garnered interest as a potential anti-cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
treatment.