J Appl Biomed 1:141-147, 2003 | DOI: 10.32725/jab.2003.028

Plant toxic proteins and their current significance for warfare and medicine

Jiří Patočka^1,*, Ladislav Středa²

¹ Department of Toxicology, Military Medical Academy, Hradec Králové and Faculty of Health and Social Studies, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

² Department for Control of the Prohibition of Chemical and Biological Weapons, State Office for Nuclear Safety, Praha, Czech Republic

Abrin, ricin, viscumin, modeccin, and volkensin are very potent toxins derived from plants. They are glycoproteins composed of two polypeptide chains linked by a disulphide bridge. The A-chain is the enzymatic toxic moiety and B-chain is responsible for bonding to the target cell and internalization of toxin. The toxic part of the toxin molecule removes an adenine from a specific adenosine residue in ribosomal RNA and block proteosynthesis. That is the reason of extreme toxicity of these compounds and their capacity to be used as biological warfare agents or terrorist weapon. Therefore all these compounds are in the schedules of controlled biological agents and toxins. Contrariwise, plant ribosome-inactivating proteins are studied intensive as possible chemotherapeutic agents.

Keywords: plant toxic proteins; ribosome inactivating proteins; abrin; ricin; modeccin; viscumin; volkensin; warfare; medicine

Received: April 7, 2003; Published: July 31, 2003  Show citation