Agglutination of bacteria by a sialic acid-specific lectin of the snail Cepaea hortensis.
Aqueous extracts from lyophilized albumen glands of the garden snail (Cepaea hortensis) exhibit, after separation from a second lectin, a specificity against sialic acid-containing polymers. In agglutination studies with bacteria, the lectin interacts with all strains of group B streptococci (Streptococcus agalactiae) containing type-specific polysaccharides. In contrast, group B streptococci containing only protein type antigens as well as all strains of other Lancefield streptococcal groups and several other bacterial strains did not react.
D000372:Agglutination Tests; D000818:Animals; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D012908:Snails / Q000032:analysis*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000378:metabolism*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000378:metabolism
D037102:Lectins; D012794:Sialic Acids