With the completion of the last step of synthesizing endorphin, 10ml of endorphin was freshly synthesized in the test tube in Zheng Li's hand.
There are four types of endorphins—α, β, γ, and δ. Among them, the activity of β-endorphin is 5-10 times that of morphine, and the activity of the other three endorphins is consistent with that of morphine.
The first discovery of endorphins by humans dates back to 1975. The hypothalamus of vertebrates will work together with the pituitary gland to secrete this substance.
It was not until 2019 that Zheng Li discovered the path of artificially synthesizing endorphins. Among them, Zheng Li synthesized β-endorphins, which are the most active endorphins.
And in the paper, Zheng Li demonstrated through experiments that β-endorphin can play an analgesic effect through external administration.
Since endorphin is automatically synthesized by the pituitary gland, people only knew that it has analgesic effect before, but it is not known whether its analgesic effect can be exerted by in vitro injection.
Fact: Humans discovered the synthetic method of morphine in the 1710s, when Zeltina discovered that morphine crystals could be isolated by soaking opium in hot water and ammonia.
The molecular formula of morphine was deduced in 1847, its structural formula was confirmed in 1925, and its absolute configuration was proved in 1968.
And until two hundred years later, humans have still not been able to study the synthetic pathway of endorphins with similar effects, let alone the structural formula and absolute configuration.
It is precisely because of the difficulty of this work that Zheng Li was able to publish a paper in Nature as a pure newcomer.
The reason why it is so difficult is very simple. The molecular formula of morphine is C17H19NO3, and the molecular weight is only 285.3, while the molecular weight of α-endorphin is 1745.96, and the molecular weight of β-endorphin is 3400.
The molecular weight of β-endorphin is more than ten times that of morphine, but the difficulty of synthesis does not increase linearly, it increases exponentially.
After Zheng Li published a paper on the artificial synthesis method of β-endorphin, Li Xulin successfully researched the artificial synthesis method of α-endorphin through the inspiration of the synthetic route of β-endorphin, and successfully published the paper in Cell on the magazine.
Just relying on the synthesis methods of several other endorphins, it is enough to publish a lot of cell sub-journals and even the main cell journal. This can be regarded as the legacy left by Zheng Li to the School of Biology of Jiangcheng University.
Zheng Li put the newly synthesized endorphin into the ultra-low temperature refrigerator, and then continued to synthesize another high molecular compound.
Li Zheng used α-endorphin and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) antiserum double antibody immunoprecipitation injection into pituitary tumor cells of mice.
Ordinary white mice can be bought for a few dollars, specially bred mice with cancer cost three to four hundred, and designated cancer cell survival areas, such as the pituitary tumor cells that Zheng Li requested, cost more than a thousand.
Li Zheng continued to put the culture together with the 3H-labeled amino acid, and aliquoted the sample of the immunoprecipitation medium.
Sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of [3H]phenylalanine-labeled immunoprecipitates prepared with endorphin antiserum separated three forms of Endorphins; immunoprecipitates prepared with ACTH antiserum contained four forms of ACTH with apparent molecular weights of 31,000, 23,000, 13,000, and 4,500, respectively.
Sequential immunoprecipitation of media with ACTH antiserum and endorphin antiserum (or the reverse order) showed that both antisera precipitated the same 31,000 protein macromolecules.
Purified pools of different forms of ACTH and endorphins were prepared by immunoprecipitation and gel filtration.
Finally, a lipotropic tryptic peptide [βLPH(61-69)] is produced, which contains an opioid-active methionine-enkephalin sequence.
Zheng Li looked at the freshly baked tryptic peptide and showed a boring smile. This kind of experiment was too childish for him.
Endorphin is a very miraculous compound hormone, and human beings' understanding of him is still very shallow.
The biological attainments of mage civilization far exceed the imagination of Blue Star humans, they can conduct human experiments by cloning humans.
In the mage's logic, humans transform nature instead of nature transforming humans. In Zheng Li's view, the environmental protection issues that Blue Star has been discussing for years are purely false propositions.
The inability to decompose plastics, climate warming, the spread of viruses, and the lack of fossil fuels are all problems that can be solved through technological means, rather than giving up food because of choking.
Zheng Li couldn't understand some of the strange phenomena of Blue Star. The stone tools, pottery, copper and iron tools discarded after human use have been buried in the ground for hundreds, thousands or even tens of thousands of years without segregation and degradation. After being discarded, the creations will not degrade naturally if they are not destroyed or damaged, but they want the plastic to degrade in just a few years, or even not use plastic.
Having said that, endorphins and lipotropin trypsin peptide [βLPH(61-69)] are injected into the human body together, which can reduce human addiction and tolerance to drugs.
We must know that after long-term use of many drugs, human beings will become dependent on drugs, that is, drug addiction, such as stimulants, analgesics, hallucinogens, and so on.
Previously, scientists tried to reduce addiction through various methods, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, oral topiramate treatment, oral dextroamphetamine slow-release preparations and other methods.
But none of these approaches worked very well.
This has a broader market than endorphins, and Zheng Li plans to wait until later.
"You are here. I will take you to meet the current general manager of the company. After that, I will stay in the laboratory downstairs for a long time. You will report to me about the company's business developments every week.
" Gang arranges, Cheng Gang is our general manager, what you need to do is to study and become familiar with the company's operating mode as soon as possible."
After Zheng Li took off his gloves and white coat, he went upstairs to his exclusive office and saw Gang Luo. Li Miaomiao galloped over.
Li Miaomiao, who was originally apprehensive, calmed down after meeting Zheng Li, especially when he found that Zheng Lihe hadn't changed a bit in school, and he was still fully immersed in research.
She nodded and said: "Okay."
Zheng Li: "Cheng Gang, this is Li Miaomiao, my classmate at Jiangcheng University. She is here to act as my secretary. Usually, you call her for anything. Take her with you who is familiar with the company. Business situation."
Cheng Gang looked at the very immature girl in front of him, she was good-looking, and he thought to himself: Mr. Zheng did not want to have an office romance, did he bring his girlfriend to the company?
If this is the case, Cheng Gang will lower his evaluation of Zheng Li by at least two levels.
But he kept his face on the surface: "Okay, I will arrange for Ms. Li. I am Cheng Gang, and we will have a pleasant cooperation in the future."
Cheng Gang stretched out his hand to indicate that he wanted to shake hands with the other party. Take care of me in general, and I hope we can cooperate happily in the future."
Zheng Li continued: "Cheng Gang, I know the doubts in your heart, so let me make it clear that Li Miaomiao and I are just classmates. To be precise, we have a good relationship. friends, but not boyfriend and girlfriend."
"The reason why I asked her to help me is because the company's management is all sent by Mr. Lei, and I need someone I can trust to prevent me and Mr. Lei from getting married. Tearing the face will not affect the normal operation of the company."