title: Determination of lectin characteristics by a novel agglutination technique.
abstract: A technique generally applicable for the determination of lectin characteristics is described. A sensitive light transmission/scattering method was adapted for the determination of lectin levels and lectin activity. Applying this procedure Geodia cydonium lectin-mediated agglutination was studied in an agglutimeter device using erythrocytes and even T-lymphocytes. In the Geodia lectin/T-lymphocyte system chosen, (i) a lectin concentration as low as 0.57 micrograms/ml could be measured accurately, (ii) the observed cell agglutination velocity constant with a maximal value of 0.75 min-1 was calculated, and (iii) the size of the agglutinates at a given lectin concentration and time period was estimated. The Geodia lectin activity was determined in parallel also in the erythrocyte system. Here, compared to the lectin/T-lymphocyte system the agglutination efficiency of the Geodia lectin-mediated agglutination was more than 10-fold higher and the lowest detectable lectin concentration was 0.06 micrograms/ml. Compared to the hemagglutination assay the lectin/erythrocyte system turns out to be more sensitive and to give much more information on agglutination behavior; this conclusion is supported by additional data using a second lectin isolated from Pellina semitubulosa. The superiority of the agglutination method described here over other known methods must be seen in its accuracy; moreover more lectin characteristics can be determined.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Biotechnologie, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Flemming
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ulrich
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schwall
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Schröder
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000371:Agglutination; D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000502:physiology; D006384:Hemagglutination; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D037102:Lectins / Q000032:analysis*; D008722:Methods; D051379:Mice; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D037102:Lectins