Blasticidin A (CAS 100513-53-9)

Blasticidin A is a bioactive compound known for its role as a nucleoside antibiotic, produced by the bacterium Streptomyces griseochromogenes. It exhibits a distinctive mechanism of action, primarily targeting the protein synthesis machinery within susceptible cells. Blasticidin A functions by inhibiting peptidyl transferase activity in the ribosome, an essential process for forming peptide bonds between amino acids during protein synthesis. This inhibition disrupts the translation process, leading to premature termination and ultimately, cellular death. In non-medical research, blasticidin A has been extensively utilized to study protein synthesis and its regulation in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Its ability to halt ribosomal function makes it an excellent tool for dissecting the roles of various components of the translation machinery and for identifying cellular responses to translational stress. Moreover, blasticidin A has been used in molecular biology for the selection of genetically modified cells that express blasticidin-resistance genes, facilitating the study of gene function and expression in complex biological systems. Through these applications, blasticidin A contributes significantly to our understanding of cellular mechanisms and genetic regulation, helping to explain the complex processes that govern cell life and death.