Comparison of developmentally regulated lectins from three species of cellular slime mold. 1979

S H Barbondes, and P L Haywood

Extracts of the cohesive forms of the cellular slime molds Dictyosteliym discoideum, Dictyostelium mucoroides and Dictyostelium purpureum contain lectin activity, assayed as hemagglutination activity. The lectin activity from each species binds quantitatively to Sepharose 4B and can be eluted with D-galactose. The resultant purified lectins are abundant proteins representing, in the case of D. purpureum, up to 5% of the total soluble protein of cohesive cells. The preparations from each species are similar but distinct in amino acid composition and other properties. Each purified preparation gives rise to two protein bands on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with the major band representing as little at 77% (D. purpureum) and as much as 96% (D. mucoroides) of the total protein in the two bands. The molecular weights of the pair of bands were different for each species, ranging between about 23 000 and 26 000. The two bands are believed to represent subunits of lectins made up of either one or a combination of these two proteins. The apparent molecular weights of the purified lectin activities determined by sucrose density gradient centrifugation were all in the range of 100 000. N-Acetyl-D-galactosamine was a potent inhibitor of the hemagglutination activity of each perparation; but there were some differences in the relative inhibitory potency of a number of other saccharides. Antiserum raised against each preparation, as well as univalent antibody fragments derived from these antisera, reacted best with the antigens to which they were raised; but showed some cross reaction measured both by precipitin reactions and by inhibition of hemagglutination activity of the purified lectins. The differences between the lectins from the different species could be trivial; but they also could be important for defining specific properties of these three species which reliably segregate into colonies of a single species when grown in mixed culture.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008970 Molecular Weight The sum of the weight of all the atoms in a molecule. Molecular Weights,Weight, Molecular,Weights, Molecular
D009005 Monosaccharides Single chain carbohydrates that are the most basic units of CARBOHYDRATES. They are typically colorless crystalline substances with a sweet taste and have the same general formula CnH2nOn. Monosaccharide,Simple Sugar,Simple Sugars,Sugar, Simple,Sugars, Simple
D003429 Cross Reactions Serological reactions in which an antiserum against one antigen reacts with a non-identical but closely related antigen. Cross Reaction,Reaction, Cross,Reactions, Cross
D004023 Dictyostelium A genus of protozoa, formerly also considered a fungus. Its natural habitat is decaying forest leaves, where it feeds on bacteria. D. discoideum is the best-known species and is widely used in biomedical research. Dictyostelium discoideum,Dictyostelium discoideums,Dictyosteliums,discoideum, Dictyostelium
D006384 Hemagglutination The aggregation of ERYTHROCYTES by AGGLUTININS, including antibodies, lectins, and viral proteins (HEMAGGLUTINATION, VIRAL). Hemagglutinations
D013045 Species Specificity The restriction of a characteristic behavior, anatomical structure or physical system, such as immune response; metabolic response, or gene or gene variant to the members of one species. It refers to that property which differentiates one species from another but it is also used for phylogenetic levels higher or lower than the species. Species Specificities,Specificities, Species,Specificity, Species
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

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