title: Affinity purification, physicochemical and immunological characterization of a galactose-specific lectin from the seeds of Dolichos lablab (Indian lablab beans).
abstract: A galactose-specific lectin has earlier been isolated from the seeds of Dolichos lablab in our laboratory by conventional protein purification methods. We now established conditions to bind the lectin on Sepharose-galactose gel in the presence of 1.5 M ammonium sulfate in Tris-buffered saline, pH 7.4. It can be specifically eluted with 0.3 M galactose. The purified lectin is a glycoprotein, binds to Con A, agglutinates erythrocytes, and has an apparent native molecular weight of 120 +/- 5 kDa. In SDS-PAGE under reducing conditions, it dissociates into two subunits of molecular mass (Mr) 31 and 29 kDa. Among a number of sugars tested for inhibitory activity of the lectin, galactose was found to be a potent inhibitor. Rabbit polyclonal antibody to the purified lectin specifically reacted with the lectin subunits in Western blot analysis and additionally, an antibody raised to the isolated 31 kDa subunit show reactivity with both the subunits. Amino terminal sequences of both the subunits are identical. The purified lectin is stable up to 40 degrees C with a pH optimum of 7.4. The lectin has a high content of acidic amino acids and lacks sulfur-containing amino acids. Chemical modification of the lectin with group-specific reagents indicates the possible role of histidine, lysine, and tyrosine residues in lectin activity.
authors.affiliation: Protein Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500 046, India.
authors.forename: Vakada Lavanya
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Latha
authors.forename: Rameshwaram Nagender
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Siva Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Nadimpalli
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity / Q000379:methods; D005690:Galactose / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011817:Rabbits; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D037121:Plant Lectins; D021122:Protein Subunits; C442499:dolichos Lablab lectin; D005690:Galactose