Pulchellin, a highly toxic type 2 ribosome-inactivating protein from Abrus pulchellus

The carbohydrate-binding specificity of a highly toxic protein from Abrus pulchellus seeds.

Ebulin 1, a nontoxic novel type 2 ribosome-inactivating protein from Sambucus ebulus L. leaves.

A novel type 2 ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) that we named ebulin 1 has been isolated from leaves of Sambucus ebulus L. (Caprifoliaceae). In vitro ebulin 1 strongly inhibited protein synthesis by rabbit reticulocyte lysates, rat brain, and rat liver cell-free systems but did not affect in vitro plant nor bacterial protein synthesis. Ebulin 1 is composed of two subunits, a catalytic A subu...

Cinnamomin--a versatile type II ribosome-inactivating protein.

Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are a group of toxic proteins that can specifically act on the universally conserved sarcin/ricin domain (S/R domain) of the largest RNA in ribosome and thus irreversibly inactivate ribosome for protein synthesis. Cinnamomin is a multifunctional type II RIP isolated in our laboratory from the mature seeds of the camphor tree. This protein has been extensive...

Ribosome Inactivating Proteins from Rosaceae.

Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are widespread among higher plants of different taxonomic orders. In this study, we report on the RIP sequences found in the genome/transcriptome of several important Rosaceae species, including many economically important edible fruits such as apple, pear, peach, apricot, and strawberry. All RIP domains from Rosaceae share high sequence similarity with con...

A ribosome-inactivating protein in a Drosophila defensive symbiont.

Vertically transmitted symbionts that protect their hosts against parasites and pathogens are well known from insects, yet the underlying mechanisms of symbiont-mediated defense are largely unclear. A striking example of an ecologically important defensive symbiosis involves the woodland fly Drosophila neotestacea, which is protected by the bacterial endosymbiont Spiroplasma when parasitized by...