DETECTION OF RICIN AND ABRIN TOXINS IN COMPLEX MATRICES BY TWO NOVEL GALACTOSE ENRICHMENT METHODS AND HIGH RESOLUTION LC-MS/MS

摘要

Ricin and abrin are highly poisonous plant toxins belonging to the type 2 ribosome-inactivating protein (RIPII) family. These proteins are composed of A- and B-chains linked by a single disulphide bond. The A-chain confers cellular toxicity, while cellular entry is through the galactose binding properties of the B-chain, which can be utilized for isolation of these toxins. There is a demand for improving toxin detection capabilities due to the terrorism threat posed by them.