Anti-Saporin antibody (ab228503)

Saporin is obtained from the seeds of the Soapwort plant (Saponaria officinalis), a plant that grows wildly in Britain and other parts of Europe. Saporin is a plant enzyme with N-glycosidase activity that depurinates a specific nucleotide in the ribosomal RNA 28S, thus irreversibly blocking protein synthesis. It belongs to the well-characterized family of ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs). There are two types of RIPs: type I, which are much less cytotoxic due to the lack of the B chain and type II, which are distinguished from type I RIPs by the presence of the B chain and their ability to enter cells on their own. However, type I RIPs can still be internalized by fluid-phase endocytosis. In the case of saporin, it was reported that saporin first binds to the alpha 2 macroglobulin receptor on human cells and is then internalized to the cytosol. Upon internalization, the ribosomes are inactivated, resulting in cell death. Among all type I RIPs saporin SO6 is the most widely used because it is easily obtainable and very stable.