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Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Assaying Proteasomal Degradation in a Cell-free System in Plants
Published on: March 26, 2014
Ribosome inactivating proteins of plants
J M Lord1, M R Hartley, L M Roberts
1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
Abstract:
Many plant tissues produce single chain proteins which can enzymatically remove a specific adenine residue from ribosomal RNA. Although these proteins are potently toxic to isolated ribosomes, they are non-toxic to intact cells, being unable to gain access to their ribosomal substrate. In certain plants however, the gene for the ribosome inactivating protein has fused with a gene encoding a galactose-specific lectin. This generates heterodimeric proteins which can bind to and enter target cells, and which are among the most potent cytotoxins known.
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