title: Tandem repeat L-rhamnose-binding lectin from the skin mucus of ponyfish, Leiognathus nuchalis.
abstract: Two lactose-binding lectins (PFL-1 and -2) were identified in the skin mucus of ponyfish, Leiognathus nuchalis. The molecular masses of PFL-1 and -2 were estimated to be 24 and 30kDa, respectively. Cloning of the PFL-1 cDNA demonstrated its unique tandem repeat structure composed of two homologous domains with 41.7% internal identity. Furthermore, PFL-1 exhibited homology with L-rhamnose-binding lectins previously purified from the eggs of fish and sea urchins. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of PFL-2 was similar to that of PFL-1, suggesting that this protein is an isotype of PFL-1. The PFL-1 gene was expressed in the skin, an important line of defense against pathogens in fish, but was not expressed in any of the other tissues tested here. PFL-1 is the fourth type of fish skin mucus lectin to be identified, suggesting that different species of fish express different types of lectin in their skin mucus.
authors.affiliation: Fisheries Laboratory, The University of Tokyo, Maisaka, Shizuoka 431-0211, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Shigeyuki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsutsui
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tasumi
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suetake
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: Yuzuru
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005399:Fishes / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D037102:Lectins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009093:Mucus / Q000737:chemistry*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity; D020080:Tandem Repeat Sequences / Q000235:genetics*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D037102:Lectins