A Molecule That Can Both Kill and Save Lives

Author: Roy Xu

Editor: Kira Tian and Michael Zhu

Artist: Aurora Chen

Ricin is a molecule produced by the castor bean plant. It is considered one of the most lethal toxins ever discovered—a single molecule can kill an entire cell. The molecule is composed of two chains: the B chain that is responsible for the molecule’s targeting mechanism, and the A chain that contains the toxic substances. These two components, however, can be used for many different purposes.

Ricin travels through the c