Viscotoxins
Encyclopedia
Viscotoxins are small protein
s that are toxic against a varied number of cell types. They belong to plant thionin
s, and are produced from the leaves and stems of the European mistletoe
(Viscum album).
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
s that are toxic against a varied number of cell types. They belong to plant thionin
Thionins
Thionins are small, basic plant proteins, 45 to 50 amino acids in length, which include three or four conserved disulfide linkages. The proteins are toxic to animal cells, presumably attacking the cell membrane and rendering it permeable:...
s, and are produced from the leaves and stems of the European mistletoe
Viscum album
Viscum album is a species of mistletoe, the species originally so-named, and also known as European Mistletoe or Common Mistletoe to distinguish it from other related species...
(Viscum album).