A Recessive Lectin-factor in Streptopelia Risoria.

LECTINS, phytagglutinins or seed agglutinins are now in common use in blood typing (cf. BIRD 1959; BOYD 1963). A classical example is lectin from lima beans which selectively agglutinates cells of type A of man in contrast to those of type B or 0. In 1959, BOYD, GREEN, FUJINAGA, DRABIK, and WASZCZENKO-ZACHARCZENKO reported a possible new blood factor in humans detected by an extract of the peanut, Arachis hypogaea. Among many seed extracts tested with a variety of animals (cf. MILLER and MCKEEVER 1964) was a sample of the peanut. Differential agglutination of the erythrocytes in a population of ring neck doves, Strgptopelia risoria, with peanut lectin was marked. This report describes in full the immunogenetic study previously reported in an abstract (MILLER 1963).