Asparaginase, also called L-asparagine amidohydrolase, L-asnase, Crasnitin, Elspar, kidrolase, Leunase, Asparaginase; Colaspase; Crasnitin; EC 2; Leucogen, is extracted from cultures of E. Coli bacteria.
Asparaginase catalyzes the hydrolysis of asparagine to aspartic acid and ammonia, while asparagine is required by cells to synthesize protein and amino acids needed by multiplication growth. Normal cells can synthesize asparagines on their own, excluding tumor cells (acute leukaemia,etc), consequently tumor cells will destroyed or restrained for the shortage of asparagine when asparaginase is used.
Meanwhile asparaginase can also disturb the synthesis of cell DNA and RNA, which can be used to restrain cell division during cell G1 multiplication cycle.