The Complete Amino Acid Sequences of the B-Chains of Abrin-a and Abrin-b, Toxic Proteins from the Seeds of Abrus Precatorius

Makoto Kimura, Tomoyuki Sumizawa, Gunki Funatsu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

23 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The amino acids of the B-chains of two abrins (designated as abrin-a and abrin-b) from the seeds of Abrus precatorius have been sequenced. The sequence of the B-chain of abrin-a was solved by analysis of peptides derived by enzymatic digestions with trypsin, lysylendopeptidase, and chymotrypsin, as well as by chemical cleavage with cyanogen bromide. The sequence of the B-chain of abrin-b was analyzed by sequence analysis of tryptic peptides and comparing these sequences with those of corresponding peptides of the B-chain of abrin-a. The B-chains of abrin-a and abrin-b consist of 268 amino acid residues and share 256 identical residues. Comparison of their sequences with that of the ricin B-chain shows that 60% of the residues of both abrin B-chains are identical to those of the ricin B-chain and that two saccharide-binding sites in ricin B-chain identified by a crystallographic study are highly conserved in both abrin B-chains.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)166-169
Number of pages4
JournalBioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry
Volume57
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1993

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Biotechnology
  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Biochemistry
  • Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Organic Chemistry

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