An on/off SERS aggregation system has been designed to investigate carbohydrate-lectin interactions. Detection of the lectin ConA was achieved at pico molar levels. Discrimination was also demonstrated between two different carbohydrate moieties demonstrating the specific interaction between the carbohydrate and specific protein present.

The association constants for the binding of a series of ligands with a galactose-specific lectin from Momordica charantia (bitter gourd) has been determined through the ligand-induced quenching of protein fluorescence. Analysis of the iodide quenching suggested that there is a slight increase in the accessibility of tryptophan residues of the lectin on binding lactose.

By using histochemical methods, the binding pattern of various lectins in the epithelium of normal human appendix vermiformis was assessed. In addition to plant and invertebrate sugar receptors with nominal monosaccharide specificity for alpha-L-Fuc (UEA-I), alpha-D-Man and alpha-D-Gluc (Con A), alpha-D-GalNAc (DBA), D-GalNAc (SBA, HPA) beta-D-Gal (RCA-I) and D-Gal (VAA), a mammalian beta-galac...

A new lectin gene was isolated by using genomic walker technology and revealed to encode a mannose-binding lectin. Analysis of a 2233 bp segment revealed a gene including a 1169 bp 5' flanking region, a 417 bp open reading frame (ORF) and a 649 bp 3' flanking region. There are two putative TATA boxes and eight possible CAAT boxes lie in the 5' flanking region. The ORF encodes a 15.1 kDa precurs...

The sialic acid specific humoral lectin, Pjlec of the freshwater crab Paratelphusa jacquemontii was investigated for its opsonin function with rabbit erythrocyte as target cell for phagocytosis by the crab's hemocyte. The untreated or trypsin treated erythrocyte induced lectin response after challenge however failed when treated with neuraminidase evidently indicating glycan dependency for elic...

A unique mannose-binding lectin, highly specific for terminal Man(alpha1,3)Man groups, was isolated from bulbs of crocus (Crocus vernus All.). The lectin failed to bind to a mannose affinity column and was purified by simple gel permeation chromatography (Sephacryl S200). The purified lectin, obtained in crystalline form, had a molecular mass of 44 kDa on gel filtration and showed a single pept...

We have examined immunocytochemically the expression, localization and in vivo function of a calcium-dependent and galactose-binding 14 x 10(3) Mr lectin purified from the budding tunicate, Polyandrocarpa misakiensis. Lectin granules first appeared in the inner epithelium of a double-walled bud vesicle. Soon after the bud entered the developmental phase, the granules were secreted into the mese...

Interaction of bacteria with lectin using anti-lectin antibody by ELISA is an established method. In the present study, we have devised a simple ELISA using a biotinylated lectin and antibiotin-HRP. Ficus cunia agglutinin (FCA), which has shown the specificity towards alpha/beta anomers of GlcNAc and other-NAc containing sugars like LacNAc and GlcNAcbeta(1-4/6)GlcNAc, was used as a model lectin...

Galectins are a family of proteins that are characterized by the presence of a conserved

Glial cell line–derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family ligand (GFL) consists of GDNF, neurturin (NRTN), artemin (ARTN), and persephin (PSPN). These GFLs signal through a receptor complex consisting coreceptor (GFRα1–4) as binding component, which has no intracellular domain is anchored to the plasma membrane with glycosylphosphatidylinositol, transmembrane RET (rearranged during transfection...