Canavanine

• L- α -amino- γ - ( guanidinooxy ) - n-butyric acid
• O -[( Aminoimminomethyl ) amino] -homoserine
• 2-amino- 4-( guanidinooxy ) - butyric acid

Fixed

Soluble in water: <100 g · l-1

Attention

5900 mg · kg -1 ( LD50, rat, s.c )

Template: Infobox chemical / molecular formula search available

Canavanine is a harmful, non-canonical, non-protein amino acid that occurs as a defense mechanism in the seeds of leguminous plants. The toxic effects of canavanine based on the competition of canavanine with the essential amino acid arginine. Since the enzymes of the organism, the two amino acids can not distinguish them, the wrong amino acid is incorporated into resulting amino acid chains ( unfolded proteins ). Then there can be no correct folding, which leads to the failure of protein function.