Bolesatine

Bolesatine is a glycoprotein isolated from the Rubroboletus satanas (Boletus satanas Lenz) mushroom which has a lectin function that is specific to the sugar binding site of D-galactose.^[1] It is a monomeric protein with a compact globular structure and is thermostable. One tryptophan can be found in its primary sequence along with one disulfide bridge.

Bolesatine causes gastroenteritis in humans^[2] and, at high enough concentrations, inhibits protein synthesis.^[3] It does not inhibit protein synthesis directly. Instead, it acts as a phosphatase for nucleoside triphosphate, particularly for GTP.^[4] At lower concentrations, it is a mitogen to human and rat T lymphocytes.^[5] Studies have shown that at low concentrations, protein kinases C (PKC) are activated in vitro and in vero cells, leading to an increase in DNA synthesis activity.^[6]