title: Surface Plasmodium sugar-binding components evidenced by fluorescent neoglycoproteins.
abstract: A sugar-binding component was shown to be present at the surface of endoerythrocytic Plasmodium berghei and P. chabaudi stages and merozoites by means of a panel of neoglycoproteins using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytofluorometry. The protein nature of this material was ascertained by the loss of sugar-binding capacity upon trypsin treatment. This lectin-like protein primarily bound neoglycoprotein-borne N-acetylglucosamine and secondarily bound neoglycoprotein-borne alpha-D-glucose, beta-D-galactose and alpha-L-fucose. These results suggest the presence of at least one type of lectin-like protein with an extended binding site accomodating several sugar units, and define its localization on the parasite surface.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D005452:Fluoresceins; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008288:Malaria / Q000097:blood / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D011975:Receptors, Mitogen / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005452:Fluoresceins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D011975:Receptors, Mitogen