A ribonuclease with an N-terminal sequence different from those of other ribonucleases has been purified from fruiting bodies of the mushroom Russula virescens. The RNase was adsorbed on DEAE-cellulose and Q-Sepharose in 10 mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.1-7.3) and on CM-Sepharose in 10 mM NH4OAc buffer (pH 4.6), unlike other mushroom ribonucleases which are unadsorbed on DEAE-cellulose. The RNase demonstrated a molecular mass of 28 kDa in both gel filtration and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In contrast to other mushroom ribonucleases which are monospecific, it exhibited co-specificity towards poly A and poly C. It demonstrated a pH optimum of 4.5, which is lower than values reported for other mushroom ribonucleases, and a temperature optimum of 60 degreesC. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.