Type-I ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP), which is found in many plants, catalyzes depurination of a specific adenine in the sarcin/ricin domain (SRD) of the large rRNA causing loss of ribosomal activity. Previously, we found a RNA apurinic site-specific lyase (RALyase) that catalytically cleaved the phosphodiester bond at the RIP-dependent depurination site by p-elimination reaction. Here we show that both the RIP activity and RIP-RALyase-mediated cleavage of SRD in the cytoplasmic ribosome were induced at the late stage of senescence of wheat coleoptiles. Following this process, tissue death was observed. Furthermore, transgenic tobacco plants expressing glucccorticoid-induced RIP developed senescence-like phenotype. Our results suggest that ribosome inactivation due to the cleavage of SRD by the inducible RIP and constitutively expressed RALyase may be a unique plant system that mediates programmed cell death at the late senescent stage. (c) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.