hc-toxin

HC-toxin is a naturally occurring cyclic tetrapeptide produced by the plant pathogenic fungus *Cochliobolus carbonum* race 1. It functions as a potent, cell-permeable inhibitor of histone deacetylases (HDACs), enzymes that regulate gene expression by removing acetyl groups from histones. The molecule contains a unique amino acid, 2-amino-9,10-epoxy-8-oxodecanoic acid (Aeo), which features an epoxide group essential for its inhibitory activity; this group covalently and irreversibly binds to the active site of HDAC enzymes. While HC-toxin is primarily known as a critical virulence factor that suppresses plant defense responses in maize, it is extensively utilized in biomedical research as a biochemical tool to study epigenetic regulation, cell cycle progression, and apoptosis in various cancer cell lines.

Other names

HC toxinCyclo(D-prolyl-L-alanyl-D-alanyl-L-2-amino-9,10-epoxy-8-oxodecanoyl)Cyclo(D-Pro-L-Ala-D-Ala-L-Aeo)