• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.375-379
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• 1997

Two ribosome-inactivating proteins, PRIP 1 and PRIP 2 have been isolated from the leaves of $Cucurbita\;moschata\;D_{UCHESNE}$. Crude extracts were purified through ammonium sulfate precipitation and column chromatography using DE-52 cellulose, S-Sepharose, FPLC Suprose 12 HR and FPLC Mono-S. The molecular weights of PRIP 1 and PRIP 2 were 31,000 and 30,500, respectively. PRIP 2 was thermostabe and maintained its activity even after the incubation of the protein at $50^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. In a cell free in vitro translation system using rabbit reticulocyte lysate, protein synthesis was inhibited by the addition of PRIP 1 and PRIP 2. The $IC_{50}$ of PRIP 1 and PRIP 2 were 0.82 nM and 0.79 nM, respectively. The comparison of N-terminal amino acid sequences of the PRIP 1 and PRIP 2 with known RIPs revealed that PRIP 1 shows sequence similarity with Luffin B from Luffa cylindrica and Trichokirin from Trichosanthes kirilowii Maximowicz and PRH) 2 has sequence similarity with Momordin II and MAP 30 from Momordica charantia.