http://www.rcsb.org/pdb/ RCSB Protein Data Bank: An Information Portal to Biological Macromolecular Structures Copyright: (C) RCSB PDB http://www.rcsb.org/pdb/skins/web20/images/pdblogo.gif http://www.rcsb.org/pdb/ Thu, 23 May 13 03:53:24 -0700 Thu, 23 May 13 03:53:24 -0700 en-us http://www.rcsb.org/pdb/101/motm.do?momID=161 Thu, 23 May 13 03:53:24 -0700 Ricin is one of the most deadly toxins that has been discovered. A single molecule can kill an entire cell. It's also a very common toxin. It's made by the castor bean plant, which can be found in gardens and wild areas around the world and is widely grown for the oil it produces. The seeds are laced with the toxin: about 8 beans can provide a lethal dose. The structure of ricin reveals how it kills cells, and provides insight into how to create a vaccine to protect against ricin poisoning. http://www.rcsb.org/pdb/101/motm.do?momID=161