Canavanine is a homolog of arginine and a non-protein amino acid. It is present in plants like alfalfa, cloves, beans onions and sprouts. Canavanine is synthesized from L-canavaninosuccinic acid and the biosynthetic pathway was first elucidated in jack bean plant.

Canavanine sulfate salt has been used:

• as a translation inhibitor in yeast translation studies
• as a component of synthetic complete (SC) drop-out medium for screening yeast
• for screening Saccharomyces cerevisiae in canavanine mutation frequency assay

Canavanine is a naturally occurring L-amino acid that competes and interferes with L-arginine-utilizing enzymes due to its structural similarity with this L-amino acid. It is a selective inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). It acts as a substrate for arginyl tRNA and is incorporated during protein synthesis leading to aberrant canavanyl proteins. Supplementation with canavanine worsens the alfalfa induced Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) like syndrome and its incorporation with endosome and proteasome disrupts the antigen processing.

Naturally occurring L-amino acid that interferes with L-arginine-utilizing enzymes due to its structural similarity with this L-amino acid. It is a selective inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS).

Naturally occurring L-amino acid that interferes with L-arginine-utilizing enzymes; selective inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS).