Characterization of highly toxic type 2 ribosome-inactivating proteins from Adenia lanceolata and Adenia stenodactyla (Passifloraceae)

From the caudices of the Passifloraceae Adenia lanceolata and Adenia stenodactyla, two lectins called lanceolin and stenodactylin, respectively, were purified by affinity chromatography on CL Sepharose 6B. The lectins are glycoproteins with Mr 61,243 (lanceolin) and 63,131 stenodactylin), consisting of an enzymatic A chain linked to a larger B chain with lectin properties, with N-terminal amino acid sequences similar to that of volkensin, the toxic lectin from Adenia volkensii. The lectins agglutinate red blood cells, inhibit protein synthesis both by a cell-free system and by whole cells, and depurinate ribosomes and DNA, but not tRNA or poly(A). They are highly toxic to cells, in which they induce apoptosis, and to mice, with LD50’s 8.16 μg/kg (lanceolin), and 2.76 μg/kg (stenodactylin) at 48 h. Thus lanceolin and stenodactylin have all the properties of the toxic type 2 ribosome-inactivating proteins and are amongst the most potent toxins of plant origin.