Full FeedProtein named after Pokemon - Pikachurin
Pokemon and one of its most famous creatures, Pikachu, made their way into the world’s vocabulary years ago. Now, Pikachu is making its way into medical vernacular. A newly discovered protein has been dubbed “Pikachurin” by Japanese scientists.
The July 20, 2008 web edition of Nature Neuroscience (which requires a subscription to view) discussed the Osaka Bioscience Institute’s discovery of pikachurin, a protein which aids kinetic vision. The protein was named specifically for Pikachu, because of the character’s agility.
Totally unexpected, but pikachurin is worth a giggle. Just think - at this moment you have pikachurins zipping through your body. I wonder if the next new disease they discover will be named pokerus.
Read [Daily Yomiuri Online] Site [Nature Neuroscience]
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“Just think - at this moment you have pikachurins zipping through your body.”
Aaaahhh! I did not need that thought!
on August 4, 2008 at 01:09 PM - LINK@ Spore - Can you hear their faint chanting?
“Pi pika… pi pikachu! Pi pika… pi pikachu!!!”
on August 4, 2008 at 01:10 PM - LINKThere is actually an oncogene that was originally named “Pokemon” but was later changed to “zbtb7” because Nintendo threatened to take legal action because they didn’t want people to have a product with the same name as a cancer causing gene. You could say that pokemon causes cancer… ;P
on June 4, 2009 at 11:28 PM - LINKThere is also a gene named “Sonic Hedgehog”. Not Kidding!!!!