Corinne Byrdsong Spring 2014 Seminar
Relevance Regulation Effects of exposure Method of action Detection methods PCR analysis
1978 - Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov assassinated in London April 2013 – Letters addressed to the US President March 2014 – Pennsylvania teen March 2014 – ricin in Georgetown dorm Both a criminal and a public health issue
Ricin is considered a biological and a chemical weapon Classified as Category B biological threat by the CDC
Prohibited by international treaties Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989 Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness Act of 2002
• Ricinus communis – Castor beans • A major protein in castor beans • Comes from the waste Image from: http://dsonggonplant.blogspot.com/2012/02/ricinus- of castor oil production communis-usually-name-called.html Image from: http://www.printmag.com/design-inspiration/botany- blueprint-the-castor-bean/
• Many uses for the oil: – Cosmetics – Paints, varnishes – Organic fertilizer – Nylon – Synthetic flavors – Potential biofuel Image from: http://beautyeditor.ca/2010/11/15/my-brief-traumatic-foray-into-the-oil-cleansing-method-or-how-overreaching-can-sometimes- backfire-on-your-skin/
R. communis grows in most tropical and temperate regions throughout the world The Anarchist’s Cookbook The Poisoner’s Handbook The Internet Easily and inexpensively obtained Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Anarchist_Cookbook
A plant toxin A lectin Ribosome inactivating protein (RIP) Image from: http://www.wiley.com/college/boyer/0470003790/cutting_edge/molecular_recognition/ricin.gif
Inhibits protein synthesis This leads to the death of eukaryotic cells Image from: http://ibbio.pbworks.com/w/page/28624940/Nucleic%20Acids%20and%20Proteins
Lethal dose depends on route of exposure Generally, 1 – 20 mg of ricin/kg body weight Death takes place 36 – 72 hours after exposure, depending on the amount and route of exposure Accidental exposure unlikely
Depends on route of exposure Non-specific but severe Will ultimately see respiratory, organ failure Ricin poisoning not contagious
No antidote Treat symptoms Try to get ricin out of body Recent ingestion – flush stomach with activated charcoal
Know if a person has been exposed Decontamination measures Show ricin to be biologically active Presumptive screening Rapid results Confirmatory analysis
Immunological assays Detection of ricin protein Environmental Mass Sample spectrometry Biological Detection of Real-time PCR Assays residual DNA
Immunological assays Detection of ricin protein Mass Environmental spectrometry Sample Biological Detection of Real-time PCR Assays residual DNA
Rapid screening Specific High sensitivity Quantitative Image from: http://classconnection.s3.amazonaws.com/826/flashcards/512826/png/picture131323331655437.png
Amplification of specific sequence Ricin-specific primers Ricin-specific probes ‘Real-time’ data collection Point when amplification first detected during cycle
Important for: Risk assessment Medical treatment Results in 4-5 hours
Detection of R. communis DNA Detect presence of DNA encoding the gene for ricin A-chain Specific nucleic acid sequences
• R. communis DNA as residual contaminant from ricin preparation Small amounts detected High detection from various samples Castor bean suspension Spiked powders
Amount of R. communis DNA Get idea of how much toxin present Determined using exponential phase Doubling of products Image from: http://www.biotechniques.com/BiotechniquesJournal/specialissues/2008/April/Twenty-five-years-of-quantitative-PCR-for-gene-expression- analysis/biotechniques-45217.html?pageNum=2
Direct investigators to next step Confirmatory assays Agricultural plant-breeding programs Low levels of ricin
Ricin Biological and chemical agent Easily processed Detection Methods Presumptive PCR Analysis Confirmatory Future studies
Dr. Staton Dr. Fenger Darcie Winkler Kel Daniel AJ Montañez KariAnna Baber
Bundowle, B., Schutzer, S. E., Breeze, R. G., Keim, P. S., & Morse, S. A. (Eds.). (2010). Microbial forensics . (2nd ed.). Burlington, MA: Elsevier/Academic Press. Hutchins, A. S., Astwood, M. J., Saah, J. R., Michel, P. A., Newton, B. R., & Dauphin, L. A. (2014). Evaluation of automated and manual dna purification methods for detecting ricinus communis dna during ricin investigations. Forensic Science International , 236 , 10-15. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.12.011. Melchior, W.B., Jr., & Tolleson, W.H. (2010). A functional quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay for ricin, Shiga toxin, and related ribosome-inactivating proteins. Analytical Biochemistry, 396 , 204-211. doi: 10.1016/j.ab.2009.09.024 Puri, P., & Kumar, O. (2011). Integrating immunobased detection and identification methods for ricin analysis: An overview. Journal of Bioterrorism & Biodefense, S2:003. doi: Integrating Immunobased Detection and Identification Methods for Ricin Analysis: An Overview Schieltz, D.M., McGrath, S.C., McWilliams, L.G., Rees, J., Bowen, M.D., Kools, J.J., Dauphin, L.A., Gomez-Saladin, E., Newton, B.N., Stang, H.L., Vick, M.J., Thomas, J. Pirkle, J.L., & Barr, J.R. (2011). Analysis of active ricin and castor bean proteins in a ricin preparation castor bean extract, and surface swabs from a public health investigation. Forensic Science International, 209 , 70-79. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2010.12.013 Shea, D. A., & Gottron, F. (2010, December). Ricin: technical background and potential role in terrorism. Library of Congress Washington D.C. Congressional Research Service.
Image from: http://www.picstopin.com/1832/cloud-question-mark/http:%7C%7Cwww*giacom*com%7Cblog%7Cwp- content%7Cuploads%7C2013%7C03%7CQuestion-Clouds*jpg/
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