Biomaterial Database

A comparative study of the localization of wheat-germ agglutinin and its potential receptors in wheat grains. 1982

R C Miller, and D J Bowles

Wheat-germ agglutinin is located only in the embryo of a dry wheat seed and not in the endosperm tissue. This distribution remains unaltered for up to 96 h of germination and growth. The lectin is found not only in a freely soluble form but also in reversible association with particulate subcellular components. There appear to be no poly-peptides that can be solubilized with sonication and aqueous buffers from the embryo tissue that can interact with the agglutinin. This suggests that in vivo the lectin remains uncomplexed to endogenous glycoconjugates or is only able to bind to glycosylated integral membrane polypeptides. Alternatively the potential endogenous receptor(s) to wheat-germ agglutinin may not contain a polypeptide. Although the lectin is not present in the endosperm, seven polypeptides able to interact in a reversible way with wheat-germ agglutinin could be purified from that tissue.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010455	Peptides	Members of the class of compounds composed of AMINO ACIDS joined together by peptide bonds between adjacent amino acids into linear, branched or cyclical structures. OLIGOPEPTIDES are composed of approximately 2-12 amino acids. Polypeptides are composed of approximately 13 or more amino acids. PROTEINS are considered to be larger versions of peptides that can form into complex structures such as ENZYMES and RECEPTORS.	Peptide,Polypeptide,Polypeptides
D011975	Receptors, Mitogen	Glycoprotein molecules on the surface of B- and T-lymphocytes, that react with molecules of antilymphocyte sera, lectins, and other agents which induce blast transformation of lymphocytes.	Lectin Receptors,Mitogen Receptors,Receptors, Lectin,Mitogen Receptor,Receptor, Mitogen
D002846	Chromatography, Affinity	A chromatographic technique that utilizes the ability of biological molecules, often ANTIBODIES, to bind to certain ligands specifically and reversibly. It is used in protein biochemistry. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)	Chromatography, Bioaffinity,Immunochromatography,Affinity Chromatography,Bioaffinity Chromatography
D004591	Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel	Electrophoresis in which a polyacrylamide gel is used as the diffusion medium.	Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis,SDS-PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-PAGE,Gel Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide,SDS PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-PAGEs
D006386	Hemagglutination Tests	Sensitive tests to measure certain antigens, antibodies, or viruses, using their ability to agglutinate certain erythrocytes. (From Stedman, 26th ed)	Hemagglutination Test,Test, Hemagglutination,Tests, Hemagglutination
D014908	Triticum	A plant genus of the family POACEAE that is the source of EDIBLE GRAIN. A hybrid with rye (SECALE CEREALE) is called TRITICALE. The seed is ground into FLOUR and used to make BREAD, and is the source of WHEAT GERM AGGLUTININS.	Wheat,Durum Wheat,Triticum aestivum,Triticum durum,Triticum spelta,Triticum turgidum,Triticum turgidum subsp. durum,Triticum vulgare,Durum Wheats,Wheat, Durum
D014909	Wheat Germ Agglutinins	Lectins purified from the germinating seeds of common wheat (Triticum vulgare); these bind to certain carbohydrate moieties on cell surface glycoproteins and are used to identify certain cell populations and inhibit or promote some immunological or physiological activities. There are at least two isoforms of this lectin.	Agglutinins, Wheat Germ,Lectins, Triticum Vulgare,Lectins, Wheat Germ,Triticum Vulgare Lectin,Triticum Vulgare Lectins,Wheat Germ Agglutinin,Wheat Germ Lectin,Wheat Germ Lectins,Wheat Germ Agglutinin Isolectin 1,Wheat Germ Agglutinin Isolectin 2,Agglutinin, Wheat Germ,Germ Agglutinin, Wheat,Germ Lectin, Wheat,Lectin, Triticum Vulgare,Lectin, Wheat Germ,Vulgare Lectin, Triticum
D037102	Lectins	Proteins that share the common characteristic of binding to carbohydrates. Some ANTIBODIES and carbohydrate-metabolizing proteins (ENZYMES) also bind to carbohydrates, however they are not considered lectins. PLANT LECTINS are carbohydrate-binding proteins that have been primarily identified by their hemagglutinating activity (HEMAGGLUTININS). However, a variety of lectins occur in animal species where they serve diverse array of functions through specific carbohydrate recognition.	Animal Lectin,Animal Lectins,Isolectins,Lectin,Isolectin,Lectin, Animal,Lectins, Animal
D037121	Plant Lectins	Protein or glycoprotein substances of plant origin that bind to sugar moieties in cell walls or membranes. Some carbohydrate-metabolizing proteins (ENZYMES) from PLANTS also bind to carbohydrates, however they are not considered lectins. Many plant lectins change the physiology of the membrane of BLOOD CELLS to cause agglutination, mitosis, or other biochemical changes. They may play a role in plant defense mechanisms.	Lectins, Plant,Phytagglutinin,Plant Agglutinin,Plant Lectin,Agglutinins, Plant,Phytagglutinins,Plant Agglutinins,Agglutinin, Plant,Lectin, Plant