Discovery and development of direct thrombin inhibitors the binding site for the globular amino-terminal domain and exosite 1 is the binding site for the acidic carboxy-terminal domain of hirudin. Native hirudin, a 65-amino-acid polypeptide, is produced in the parapharyngeal glands of medicinal leeches. Hirudins today are produced by recombinant biotechnology using yeast. These recombinant hirudins lack a sulfate group at Tyr-63 and are therefore called desulfatohirudins. They have a 10-fold lower binding affinity to thrombin compared to native hirudin, but remain a highly specific inhibitor of thrombin and have an inhibition constant for thrombin in the picomolar range. Renal clearance and degradation account for the most part
Naturally occurring phenols use 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol for chemical signaling (pheromones). Other simple and complex phenols can be found in eusocial ants (such as Crematogaster) as components of venom. In female elephants, the two compounds 3-ethyl phenol and 2-ethyl 4,5 dimethylphenol have been detected in urine samples. Temporal glands secretion examination showed the presence of phenol, m-cresol and p-cresol (4-methyl phenol) during musth in male elephants. p-Cresol and o-cresol are also components of the human sweat. P-cresol is also a major component in pig odor. 4-Ethylphenol, 1,2-dihydroxybenzene, 3-hydroxyacetophenone, 4-methyl-1,2-dihydroxybenzene, 4-methoxyacetophenone, 5-methoxysalicylic acid, salicylaldehyde, and 3-hydroxybenzoic acid are components of castoreum, the exudate from the castor