Cycloheximide - (Jan/08/2014 )

Hi,

Would really appreciate if somone could help me understand the role of treating cells with cycloheximide? Is this a protein synthesis inhibitor ? 

If for example, a particular treatment (e.g.  treatment X) decreases beta-catenin protein levels, investigators treat cells with treatment X alone or in combination with Cycloheximide to determine if  beta-catenin inhibition is a result of degradation? Why do they mention degradation if Cycloheximide is a protein synthesis inhibitor? The journals mention that beta catenin is down regulated after treatmemnt with X and also in combination Cycloheximide, therefore suggesting inhibition of beta catenin is a result of increased degradation? I thought MG132 is used to determine degradation by proteasome?

Cycloheximide inhibits ribosome function (in eukaryotes). So, your protein production stops. Since no more protein is being made, the amount of protein can be measured over time to determine the rate of degradation.

Thnak you for your response but I'm still confused.

Perhaps they thought that treatment X didn't have a direct effect, so they used cycloheximide to prevent synthesis of any interacting proteins.

I agree with you that MG132 would have been a less confusing choice.