TY - JOUR
T1 - Ribosome-inactivating proteins
T2 - A plant perspective
AU - Nielsen, Kirsten
AU - Boston, Rebecca S.
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are toxic N-glycosidases that depurinate the universally conserved α-sarcin loop of large rRNAs. This depurination inactivates the ribosome, thereby blocking its further participation in protein synthesis. RIPs are widely distributed among different plant genera and within a variety of different tissues. Recent work has shown that enzymatic activity of at least some RIPs is not limited to site-specific action on the large rRNAs of ribosomes but extends to depurination and even nucleic acid scission of other targets. Characterization of the physiological effects of RIPs on mammalian cells has implicated apoptotic pathways. For plants, RIPs have been linked to defense by antiviral, antifungal, and insecticidal properties demonstrated in vitro and in transgenic plants. How these effects are brought about, however, remains unresolved. At the least, these results, together with others summarized here, point to a complex biological role. With genetic, genomic, molecular, and structural tools now available for integrating different experimental approaches, we should further our understanding of these multifunctional proteins and their physiological functions in plants.
AB - Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are toxic N-glycosidases that depurinate the universally conserved α-sarcin loop of large rRNAs. This depurination inactivates the ribosome, thereby blocking its further participation in protein synthesis. RIPs are widely distributed among different plant genera and within a variety of different tissues. Recent work has shown that enzymatic activity of at least some RIPs is not limited to site-specific action on the large rRNAs of ribosomes but extends to depurination and even nucleic acid scission of other targets. Characterization of the physiological effects of RIPs on mammalian cells has implicated apoptotic pathways. For plants, RIPs have been linked to defense by antiviral, antifungal, and insecticidal properties demonstrated in vitro and in transgenic plants. How these effects are brought about, however, remains unresolved. At the least, these results, together with others summarized here, point to a complex biological role. With genetic, genomic, molecular, and structural tools now available for integrating different experimental approaches, we should further our understanding of these multifunctional proteins and their physiological functions in plants.
KW - 28S ribosomal RNA
KW - Cytotoxicity
KW - Plant toxins
KW - Protein synthesis inhibitor
KW - RIP
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U2 - 10.1146/annurev.arplant.52.1.785
DO - 10.1146/annurev.arplant.52.1.785
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0035780977
VL - 52
SP - 785
EP - 816
JO - Annual Review of Plant Physiology and Plant Molecular Biology
JF - Annual Review of Plant Physiology and Plant Molecular Biology
SN - 1040-2519
ER -