Biochemical studies on agglutinin from abrus precatrius

Agglutinin is a type-2 Ribosome Inactivating protein (RIP) present in the seeds of a common tropical plant Abrusprecatorius. Ribosome inactivating proteins act by depurinatimg a highly conserved α-sarcin loop of 28S rRNA present at A4324 position. The actions of RIPs prevent the ribosome-elongation factor binding, thereby inhibiting protein synthesis resulting in cell death. Agglutinin comprises of two polypeptide subunits: AChain, the toxic subunit linked to a galactose binding lectin B-Chain by means of disulphide linkage. The binding of B-Chain to the cell surface initiates endocytosis of the A-B complex facilitating RIP entry and its subsequent inhibition of protein synthesis upon binding to ribosomes.Various biochemical studies conducted in this project are treatment with a reducing agent such as Betamercaptoethanol, proteolysis with trypsin and pepsin under varying concentrations and reaction time periods. The effect of denaturation by urea on agglutinin is also observed under varying concentrations and reaction time periods.