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Expression of Functional Ricin B Chain in Xenopus Oocytes

Bio/Technology volume 6, pages 565–570 (1988)Cite this article

Abstract

The 5′ signal sequence and B chain coding region were excised from preproricin cDNA and fused in frame to generate prericin B chain cDNA. Transcripts were synthesized from the pre B chain cDNA in an in vitro system driven by T7 RNA polymerase. Pre B chain mRNA microinjected into Xenopus oocytes was expressed and the product was segregated into the oocyte endomembrane system, core glycosylated and the N–terminal signal peptide was removed. The expressed product was biologically active and could therefore bind to immobilized asialofetuin. When recombinant ricin B chain was reassociated with purified A chain, the intact ricin that was reconstituted had full cytotoxic activity.

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Author notes

  1. Philip Gilmartin

    Present address: Laboratory of Plant Molecular Biology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10021

  2. Alan Colman: Department of Biochemistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT.

  3. J. Michael Lord: Corresponding author.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL

    Peter T. Richardson & Lynne M. Roberts

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  5. J. Michael Lord
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Richardson, P., Gilmartin, P., Colman, A. et al. Expression of Functional Ricin B Chain in Xenopus Oocytes. Nat Biotechnol 6, 565–570 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0588-565

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0588-565

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