IUBio

Seeking receptor information

Wayne R. Baker baker at iastate.edu
Tue May 30 22:15:23 EST 1995


In bionet.molbio.proteins,  Dennis Goode <GOODE at ZOOL.UMD.EDU> wrote
:toukie at zui.unizh.ch (Hr Dr. S. Shapiro) wrote:
:>      Does anyone know of a small molecular-weight molecule which, when bound
:> to a (specific) receptor on a cell surface, is capable of eliciting leakage
:> of cytoplasmic contents and eventually inhibition of cell growth or
:> cell death? 
:
:I believe the toxin ricin acts this way and can be coupled to 
:antibodies to target specific cell types. It is extremely toxic, 
:killing cells at very low molecules/cell ratios.

Ricin is an inhibitor of protein translation and is roughly 250 residues
(the catalytic domain). The B-chain, which is the binding domain, binds
galactose on the cell surface, so it isn't specific. Linking to an
antibody is certainly possible, but there probably are simpler means.

Maybe something like gramicidin or complement? 

Wayne Baker (baker at iastate.edu)		Maybe a great magnet pulls
Biochemistry & Biophysics		All souls towards truth
Iowa State University			-- k. d. lang, "Constant Craving"





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