title: Properties of volkensin, a toxic lectin from Adenia volkensii.
abstract: Volkensin, a highly toxic protein from the roots of Adenia volkensii (kilyambiti, kinoria), was purified by affinity chromatography on acid-treated Sepharose 6B. The toxin is a glycoprotein (Mr 62,000, neutral sugar content 5.74%) consisting of an A subunit (Mr 29,000) and of a B subunit (Mr 36,000) linked by disulfide and noncovalent bond(s). The amino acid, amino sugar, and neutral sugar composition of the protein were determined. Volkensin is a galactose-specific lectin and is a potent inhibitor of eukaryotic protein synthesis in whole cells as well as in a cell-free system (a rabbit reticulocyte lysate). The inhibitory and the lectin activities are functions of the A and B subunits, respectively. Volkensin can be included amongst the ricin-like toxins and resembles most closely modeccin, the toxin of Adenia digitata.
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D006224:Cricetinae; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006367:HeLa Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D006384:Hemagglutination; D006801:Humans; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D007668:Kidney; D007700:Kinetics; D037102:Lectins / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000633:toxicity; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009699:N-Glycosyl Hydrolases; D037121:Plant Lectins; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000633:toxicity; D010944:Plants / Q000276:immunology*; D011817:Rabbits; D054790:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 2; D013045:Species Specificity; D014118:Toxins, Biological / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D002241:Carbohydrates; D006023:Glycoproteins; D037102:Lectins; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D037121:Plant Lectins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D054790:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 2; D014118:Toxins, Biological; C049134:volkensin; D009699:N-Glycosyl Hydrolases