Crystallization and Preliminary Crystallographic Studies of Luffaculin 1,a Ribosome-inactivating Protein from the Seeds of Luffa Acutangula

Luffaculin 1 purified from the seeds of Luffa acutangula belongs to the type I ribosome-inactivating proteins （RIPs）. It has been crystallized by the vapor-diffusion method using polyethylene glycol as a precipitant. The crystal is of space group P1 with a = 39.135, b = 46.813, c = 83.571 A, α = 891068,β = 80.009 and y = 72.143°, and has two molecules per asymmetric unit. X-ray data have been collected to be 1.4 A using a synchrotron source.

Crystallization and Preliminary Crystallographic Studies of Cucurmosin 2,a Ribosome-inactivating Protein from the Sarcocarp of Cucurbita moschata

Cucurmosin 2, a type 1 ribosome-inactivating protein （RIP） isolated from sarcocarp of Cucurbita moschata, has been crystallized by the vapor-diffusion method using PEG6000 as the precipitant. The crystals belong to the orthorhombic space group P212121, with unit cell parameters a = 55.853, b = 65.507, c = 91.754 А, and have one molecule per asymmetric unit. X-ray data have been collected to 1.8А, using a synchrotron source.

Visualization of interaction between ribosome-inactivating proteins and supercoiled DNA with an atomic force microscope

The interaction between ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) and supercoiled DNA was observed with an atomic force microscope (AFM). It was found that RIPs can bind to both supercoiled DNA and the unwound double stranded loop region in supercoiled DNA. The RIPs hound to the supercoils can induce the conformational change of supercoiled DNA. Furthermore, the supercoiled DNA was relaxed and cleaved into nick or linear form by RIPs. It indicated that RIP seemed to be a supercoil-dependent DNA binding protein and exhibited the activity of su-percoil-dependent DNA endonuclease.

Trichobitacin-a new ribosome-inactivating protein Ⅰ.The isolation,physicochemical and biological properties of trichobitacin

From the press-residue of the fresh root tuber of Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim (Cu-curbitaceae),a new ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP),trichobitacin,was isolated.It has the activity of RNA N-glycosidase and can inhibit the growth of human placental trophoblastic cells.Its molecular weight is 27,228 Da (ES-MS) and pI 9.6.It is a single chain basic RIP.Its amino acid composition was determined.It is a new RIP.It consists of 0.7~0.9% galactose and may be a glycoprotein.Its A'-and C-terminal amino acid is Asp and Ala,respectively.Its N-terminal preliminary amino acid sequence has been determined.

Primary structure of p-momorcharin, a ribosome-inactivating protein from the seeds of Momordica Charantia Linn (Cucurbitaceae)

The complete amino acid sequence of β-momorcharin, a ribosome-inactivating protein from the seeds of Momordica charantia Linn (Cucurbitaceae) has been determined. This has been done by the sequence analysis of peptides obtained by enzymatic digestion with trypsin, chymotrypsin and S. aureus V8 protease, as well as by chemical cleavage with BNPS-skatole. The protein consists of 249 amino acid residues containing one asparagine - linked sugar group attached to the site of Asn 5 1 and has a calculated relative molecular mass of 28,452 Da without addition of the carbohydrate. Comparison of this sequence with those of trichosanthin and other ribosome-inactivating proteins from different species of plants shows a significant homology with each other. Regarding the similarity of their biological properties, an active domain of these proteins has been predicted here.

The Structure of Trichosanthin with Space Group C2 at 1. 9 Resolution

The crystal structure of trichosanthin (TCS) in space group C2 hasbeen refined by PROLSQ and XPLOR to an R-factor of 0. 204 for 33, 531 reflectionswith F。≥2-σ(F。) between 6 to 1. 9 A resolution. The root mean square(r. m. s. ) devi-ations of bond lengths and bond angles from the standard values are 0. 015 A and 2.77°, respectively. The overall fold of the molecule of TCS is, in general, similar to oth-er RIPs, but there are some differences in secondary structure and in the active sitecleft. An overlay of the two molecules (shown by Mol. A and Mol. B), which are notrelated by symmetry in an asymmetric unit, results in an r. m. s. deviation of 0. 850Afor the main chain atoms. The backbones of the C-terminus of the two molecules arequite different. The structures of the water in two molecules are not completely analo-gous. In the active site cleft of Mol. B, the bonding sites of three water molecules toprotein are similar to those of N atoms of formycin ring in the structure of pokeweedantiviral protein complexed with formycin 5-monophosphate, and the side chains of twoTyr70 in the two crystalline forms of TCS show a similar orientation, which is differentfrom that of the corresponding residue in ricin A-chain.

Crystallization and Preliminary Crystallographic Analysis of β-Trichosanthin,an Isoform of Trichosanthin from the Root Tuber of Trichosanthe kirilowii

β-Trichosanthin, a type 1 ribosome-inactivating protein （RIP） isolated from the root tuber of Trichosanthe kirilowii Maxim, is an isoform of trichosanthin. Here we report its crystallization in two crystal forms using the hanging-drop vapor-diffusion method. The form A and form B crystals belong to the orthorhombic space group P212121 and monoclinic space group P21, respectively. X-ray data have been collected to 1.6 and 1.2 A resolution for form A and form B crystals, respectively, using a synchrotron source.

Concentrated Extract of Green Tea Polyphenols Enhances the Toxicity of the Elderberry Lectin Nigrin b to Mice

The effect of the administration of large amounts of green tea polyphenols is a matter of controversy. We explored whether a polyphenol mixture from a concentrated green tea extract (Polyphenon 60) could alter the effects on mice of the type 2 (two chains) ribosome-inactivating protein nigrin b isolated from Sambucus nigra L. Nigrin b triggers specific reversible toxic effects on the mouse intestines featured by apoptosis of mice Lieberkühn crypt cells upon parenteral administration of sub-lethal amounts. Independent administration to mice of 30 mg/kg body weight of Polyphenon 60 by oral gavage or 10 mg/kg body weight of nigrin b administered via the intraperitoneal route (i.p.) did not affect survival. In contrast, the simultaneous treatment greatly enhanced nigrin b toxicity leading to the death of some animals. The histological analysis revealed that the most serious injury was inflicted on the small intestine crypts, which disappeared, and on the liver, which evidenced hepatotoxicity showing haemorrhagic areas. These findings raise concerns about the abuse of high concentrations of green tea polyphenols especially when the intestinal mucosa is damaged, for instance by toxins or therapeutic drugs.

Plasma Accumulations of Vitamin B6 from an Oral Dose in a New Reversible Model for Mouse Gut Injury and Regeneration

Chemically based rodent models are used to assess the positive effects promoted by foods and gut microbiota on gut health. Lectins with enzymatic activity, such as type 2 ribosome-inactivating proteins, might also prove useful for exploring these issues. Sub-lethal doses of the lectin nigrin from Sambucus nigra L. to mice promoted reversible derangement of gut epithelium by induction of apoptosis of transit amplifying cells of the small intestine crypts in a time-dependent course. The present work seeks to study vitamin B6 accumulation in plasma from an oral bolus in a mouse nigrin model. 24 h after sub-lethal nigrin b treatment, there was clear body weight reduction associated to a notable increase in Evan’s blue stain accumulation in excised small intestine, an increase in myeloperoxidase activity, and a near 50% reduction in plasma accumulation of vitamin B6. Histological analysis of small intestine sections of nigrin b-treated animals also revealed significant derangement of intestinal crypts. Seventy two hours after nigrin b treatment, stain uptake decreased and vitamin B6 accumulation was almost restored despite villi derangement. Large intestine crypts were scarcely or not at all affected. Eight days after nigrin b treatment, vitamin B6 uptake and intestinal crypt structure had fully recovered. The nigrin b mice model supports the view that, under these conditions, the carrier-mediated vitamin B6 uptake component of the small intestine crypts is probably the most active when the vitamin is administered orally as a bolus. The findings provide insights into the suitability of the present mice model for nutritional or drug absorption studies in conditions of partially altered or injured intestinal mucosa.

Novel small molecule retrograde transport blocker confers post-exposure protection against ricin intoxication

Ricin is a highly toxic type 2 ribosome-inactivating protein(RIP)which is extracted from the seeds of castor beans.Ricin is considered a potential bioterror agent and no effective antidote for ricin exists so far.In this study,by structural modification of a retrograde transport blocker Retro-2cyc1,a series of novel compounds were obtained.The primary screen revealed that compound 27 has an improved antiricin activity compare to positive control.In vitro pre-exposure evaluation in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney(MDCK)cells demonstrated that 27 is a powerful anti-ricin compound with an EC50 of 41.05 nmol/L against one LC(lethal concentration,5.56 ng/mL)of ricin.Further studies surprisingly indicated that 27 confers post-exposure activity against ricin intoxication.An in vivo study showed that 1 h post-exposure administration of 27 can improve the survival rate as well as delay the death of ricin-intoxicated mice.A drug combination of 27 with monoclonal antibody mAb4 C13 rescued mice from one LD(lethal dose)ricin challenge and the survival rate of tested animals is 100%.These results represent,for the first time,indication that small molecule retrograde transport blocker confers both in vitro and in vivo post-exposure protection against ricin and therefore provides a promising candidate for the development of anti-ricin medicines.

The further crystallographic refinement of trichosanthin at 2.7A resolution and the comparison among the three molecular structures in two crystal forms

The three-dimensional structure of trichosanthin at 2.7A resolution has been improved further, by refitting one of the C-terminal tails, adjusting 16 residues in the molecular surface regions, discarding some water molecules with high B values, and adjusting weights during the further refinement. The R-factor has been reduced to 18.5% and the r.m.s deviations from ideal geometry are also improved. The structures of the two molecules in the monoclinic asymmetric unit and the only molecule in the orthorhombic asymmetric unit are compared with one another. The main-chain structures for most of the residues in the three molecules are substantially the same. However, the courses of the three C-terminal tails are completely different, and the intermolecular interactions resulting from the particular packing of the molecules in the crystals account for the differences. The strand Be-2 and the preceding B-turn in small domain show large r.m.s. deviations among the three molecules and they are also involved in intermolecular interactions.

Structure determination of glycopeptide of β-momorcharin

The structure of the N-linked oligosaccharide chain of β-momorcharin, a ribosome-inactivating protein from the seeds of Momordica charantia Linn (Cucurbitaceae), was determined. A glycopeptide liberated by pronase digestion of the glycoprotein was subjected to amino acid and neutral carbohydrate analysis to establish the composition of amino acid and sugar residues. The sequences and glycosylation hnkages of the sugar and amino acid residues in the glycopeptide were determined as Manαl-6(XyIβ1-2)-Manβ1-4GlcNAcβ1-4(Fucαl-3)-GlcNAc-Asn-Leu by 2D-NMR spectroscopy and FAB-MS data.