What is Virotoxin?

Answer 1

Virotoxins (e.g. viroisin) are monocyclic heptapeptides of the white mushroom Amanita virosa ("the destroying angel") similar in structure and action to the bicyclic phallotoxins but unique in that they can contain D-serine instead of L-cysteine as well as the non-standard amino acids 2,3-trans-3,4-dihydroxy-L-proline and 2'-(methylsulfonyl)-L-tryptophan. LD50is 2.5 mg per kg (white mouse) in 2 to 5 hours by hepatic hemorrhagia.1

1 Toxins from Basidiomycete Fungi (Mushroom): Amatoxins,Phallotoxins, and Virotoxins; Jack H. Wong and T.B. NG. The Handbook of Biologically Active Peptides Editor ABBA J. Kastin