CRYSTALLIZATION AND SOME CHARACTERIZATION OF FLAMMULIN PURIFIED FROM THE FRUIT BODIES OF FLAMMULINA VELUTIPES

From the aqueous extract of fruit bodies of Flammulina velutipes, Flam mulin, an antitumor substance, was purified to homogeneity judged by S DS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The purification procedure incl uded ammonium sulfate precipitation, ethanol functionation, DEAE-Sepha dex A50 anion-exchange chromatography, crystallization and recrystalli zation. Flammulin was crystallized by microdialysis against 12% polyet hylene glycol 6000, in 20 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0). The cry stals were rhombohedron-shaped and easy to melt when the crystallizati on conditions were changed. With a molecular mass of 24000, Flammulin is characterized by its lack of methionine. Amino acid composition ana lysis showed that the acidic amino acids were in greater number than t he basic amino acids, but the isoelectric point detected by analytical isoelectric focusing was at pH 8.9. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. Al l rights reserved.