Question

The main challenging step in the production of human insulin by recombinant DNA technology was
(correct answer + 1, wrong answer - 0.25)

• A. splitting A and B-peptide chains.
• B. addition of C-peptide to proinsulin
• C. getting peptides assembled into mature form.
• D. removal of C-peptide from active insulin.

Answer 1

The correct option is C getting peptides assembled into mature form.

The main challenge for the production of insulin using rDNA technique (Recombinant DNA technology) was getting the peptides assembled correctly into a mature form.

Eli Lilly. an American company in the year 1983, first prepared two DNA sequences corresponding to A and B chains of human insulin. It then introduced them into the plasmids of Escherichia coli to produce insulin chains.

Both the chains A and B were produced separately, extracted and combined in vitro by creating disulphide bonds to form human insulin (humulin).