蓖麻毒蛋白的研究与应用

Application and Research Progress on Ricin

蓖麻毒蛋白(Ricin)是一种核糖体失活蛋白,由A、B两个肽链以二硫键共价相连接,其A链在B链的协助下,容易穿过细胞膜,破坏核蛋白体60S亚单位,抑制蛋白质的合成,导致细胞死亡。Ricin几乎对所有真核细胞具有很强的毒害作用,被认为是一种新型的很有希望的抗癌药物以及具有极大潜力的生物农药。Ricin能抑制昆虫的蛋白质合成,而植物自身能免受毒害,因此利用Ricin开发生物农药具有广阔前景。文章简述了Ricin的分离纯化方法、结构及性质,毒性作用机理,及其在医学,生物农药,军事等方面的应用。

Ricin, which is constituted of lectin ricin B-chain （RTB） and N-glycosidase ricin A-chain （RTA） linked by disulfide bonds, is a kind of ribosome-inactivation protein. Its toxicity may kill almost all eukaryotic cells via RTA by cleaving the ribosome RNA. Ricin enters into cells by receptor-mediated endocytosis, which is facilitatcd by the binding of the nontoxic ricin B to cell surface receptors containing galactose or N-acetylgalactosamine. Now, ricin is considered as a novel potential anticarcinogcn and a potential biological Pesticides. The cntomic proteins synthesis can be prevented by ricin. However, plants could be self-protected against its toxicity. So it may have a wide prospect to develop a biological pesticide by using ricin. The structure, properties, toxic mechanism and purification method of ricin and its application in medicine, biological pesticides and military were reviewed in the paper.