Everything about Putrescine totally explained
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Putrescine (sometimes spelled
putrescin or
putrescene) is an organic chemical compound
NH2(
CH
2)
4NH
2 (1,4-diaminobutane or butanediamine). It is related to
cadaverine; both are produced by the breakdown of
amino acids in living and dead organisms and both are toxic substances. The two compounds are largely responsible for the foul odor of putrefying flesh, but also contribute to the odor of such processes as
bad breath and bacterial
vaginosis. They are also found in
semen and some microalgae, together with related molecules like
spermine and
spermidine.
Production and use
Putrescine is produced on industrial scale by
hydrogenation of
succinonitrile, which is produced by addition of
hydrogen cyanide to
acrylonitrile. Putrescine is reacted with
adipic acid to yield the
polyamide Nylon-4,6, which is marketed by
DSM under the trade name Stanyl.
Biochemistry
Putrescine attacks
s-adenosyl methionine and converts it to
spermidine. Spermidine in turn attacks another
s-adenosyl methionine and converts it to
spermine.
Putrescine is synthesized in small quantities by healthy living cells by the action of
ornithine decarboxylase. The
polyamines, of which putrescine is one of the simplest, appear to be growth factors necessary for cell division.
History
Putrescine and cadaverine were first described by the
Berlin physician
Ludwig Brieger in 1885.
Cultural references
Putrescine is featured as a non-lethal weapon in the science fiction novel
Zodiac, by
Neal Stephenson. Its use is also suggested as a
practical joke in
an episode
of
Dinosaur Comics.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Putrescine'.
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