SCREENING OF PHOTOSYNTHETIC O2 -EVOLVING PROKARYOTES FOR AN INSULIN-LIKE ANTIGEN(1)

Diabetes mellitus (DM), a metabolic disorder, is becoming a major health problem worldwide. Insulin is the single hope for management of type 1 diabetes, but it is not always available or suitable. For finding additional bioresources, the present study was performed. ELISA-based preliminary screening of cyanobacterial biomass using antihuman insulin antibody have detected an insulin-like antigen in Spirulina platensis S-5, Spirulina NCCU-482, and Spirulina NCCU-483. Their similarity with insulin-like antigen was further confirmed by electrophoretic mobility using bovine insulin as marker.