Abstract: Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are found in plants, certain fungi and bacteria. RIPs are toxic N-glycosidases that depurinate the universally conserved a-sarcin loop of large rRNA. This depurination inactivates the ribosome, thereby blocking its further participation in protein synthesis. The properties, application and advances in research into RIPs are summarized in this paper.

Key words: Ribosome-inactivating-proteins, N-glycosidases, Protein synthesis