HUMAN INSULIN

PRODUCTION
CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Insulin Production Process by Pancreas
 Structure of Insulin
 Insulin Production Process by Recombinant DNA and Bacteria
 Steps of Insulin Production
 Chemistry of Insulin Production
 References
 Introduction
■ The earliest use of biotechnology in pharmaceuticals manufacturing is
the use of recombinant DNA technology to modify E. Coli bacteria to
produce human insulin.

■ This step was performed at Genentech in 1978.

■ Insulin is a hormone produced by β-cells of islets of Langerhans of

pancreas. It was discovered by Sir Edward Sharpey Schafer while
studying Islets of Langerhans.

■ People who don’t produce enough insulin have diabetes.

Insulin Production Process by Pancreas
Structure of Insulin

■ Insulin is a small and simple protein.

■ Insulin is derived from a 74 amino acid prohormone molecule called

proinsulin.

■ Consists of total 51 amino acids.

■ 30 amino acids construct polypeptide chain B.

■ 21 amino acids construct polypeptide chain A.

■ Both chains are linked by Di-sulphide bond.

Structure of Insulin
Insulin Production Process
Steps of Insulin Production
1. First Step (Preparing)
■ The human gene is isolated. The mRNA is taken from the cell of islet of
Langerhans.
■ Messenger RNA is a molecule of RNA that encodes a chemical "blueprint"
for a protein product.
■ The isolated gene contains the code of the human DNA for the production
of insulin.
■ The plasmid DNA of the bacterial cell is taken out of the cell.
■ E. Coli bacteria is widely used in producing insulin but yeast may also be
used.
Steps of Insulin Production

2. Second Step (Cutting)

■ The plasmid DNA of the bacteria is cut out

producing plasmid ring which is an empty
segment of the DNA.

■ A Restriction Enzyme is an enzyme that cuts

DNA at specific recognition nucleotide
sequences known as restriction sites.

■ A segment of DNA known as sticky ends.

Steps of Insulin Production

3. Third Step (Combining)

■ With the plasmid ring open, the gene obtained

from human cell that contains the code of
protein responsible for the production of
insulin is inserted into the plasmid ring and the
ring is closed.

■ The human insulin gene is now combined with

the bacterial DNA plasmid.
Steps of Insulin Production

4. Fourth Step (Inserting)

■ Resulting bacteria is inserted into the bacteria. (transforming)

Chemistry of Insulin Production
Insulin Reproduction in Bacterial Cells

■ The cells need nutrients in order to grow, divide, and live.

■ While they live, the bacteria cell processes turn on the gene for human
insulin and the insulin is produced in the cell.

■ When the bacterial cells reproduce by dividing, the human insulin gene is
also reproduced in the newly created cells.
Regulation of Blood Glucose Level
References
■ Steiner, D. F., Park, S. Y., Stoy, J., Philipson, L. H., & Bell, G. I. (2009). A brief perspective
on insulin production. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 11, 189-196.
■ Johnson, I. S. (1983). Human insulin from recombinant DNA
technology. Science, 219(4585), 632-637.
■ Keen, H., Pickup, J. C., Bilous, R. W., Glynne, A., Viberti, G. C., Jarrett, R. J., & Marsden,
R. (1980). Human insulin produced by recombinant DNA technology: safety and
hypoglycaemic potency in healthy men. The Lancet, 316(8191), 398-401.
■ Ladisch, M. R., & Kohlmann, K. L. (1992). Recombinant human insulin. Biotechnology
progress, 8(6), 469-478.
■ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4203937/
■ https://www.yourhormones.info/hormones/insulin/
■ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323760