Purification and characterization of bolaffinine, a toxic protein from Boletus affinis Peck (Boletaceae).

A toxic protein of Mr 22,000, called bolaffinine, has been purified from the mushroom, Boletus affinis Peck (Boletaceae), with a 0.65% yield using a procedure involving four steps: ammonium sulfate precipitation, two chromatographies on ion-exchange columns and gel filtration on Sephadex G-75. It is thermolabile and can be inactivated by organic solvents. Its isoelectric point lies between pH 9 and 10. It contains 234 amino acids, no free SH groups and one disulfide bridge as evidenced by reactions with 5-5'-dithiobis-nitrobenzoate (DTNB) and 2-mercaptoethanol. When injected into mice, it provokes the death of animals within 16-24 h. The 24 h LD50 is 61 mg/kg of body weight. Bolaffinine inhibits protein synthesis in hepatoma tissue culture and in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate.