Two novel highly basic type 1 (single chain) ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) with N-glycosidase activity have been found in elderberries (the fruits of Sambucus nigra L.). Mass spectrometry of these RIPs, which we named nigritins f1 and f2, gave Mr values of 24095 and 23 565, respectively. Both proteins strongly inhibited protein synthesis in rabbit reticulocyte lysates but were inactive against plant ribosomes. Both nigritins have a similar topological activity on pBlueScript SK+ DNA as that displayed by dianthin 30. Nigritin f1 is a constitutive RIP since it is present in both green and mature intact elderberries at nearly the same proportion with respect to total fruit protein. By contrast, nigritin f2 is inducible and only appeared in mature intact elderberries. Elderberries also contain two isoforms of a basic nigrin equivalent to the recently found basic nigrin b in elder bark (De Benito et al., FEBS Letters 413 (1997) 85-91). Our results indicate that probably not all plant RIPs exert the same biological function and that this may be determined by the physiological state of the tissue.