Purification and partial characterization of the antiviral protein from Phytolacca americana which inhibits eukaryotic protein synthesis.

The antiviral protein from the pokeweed plant (Phytolacca americana) which inhibits eukaryotic protein synthesis has been purified to homogeneity and its molecular weight has been determined by two physical methods. The protein consists of a single polypeptide chain of an approximate molecular weight of 27,000. The inhibitory effect of this protein on the synthesis of polyphenylalanine in a cell-free system from Artemia salina suggests that this protein acts in an enzymatic manner on eukaryotic ribosomes. It is also demonstrated that polyphenylalanine synthesis on A. salina ribosomes is more sensitive to inhibition by this protein than on rabbit reticulocyte ribosomes.