title: First report of an arabinose-specific fungal lectin.
abstract: To date, arabinose-binding lectins have been reported only from the human opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the plant aggressive pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum, and the sponge Pellina semitubulosa. An arabinose-binding lectin with mitogenic activity toward splenocytes and a high specific hemagglutinating activity was isolated in the present study from a wild discomycete mushroom, Peziza sylvestris. The maximal mitogenic activity was induced by a lectin concentration of 8 microM. The lectin was a single-chained protein with a molecular mass of 20 kDa. Its N-terminal sequence showed only slight resemblance to other mushroom lectins. It was adsorbed on both diethylaminoethyl-cellulose and carboxymethyl-cellulose. Unlike previously reported mushroom lectins, the hemagglutinating activity of the lectin was inhibited by arabinose, but not by a large variety of other carbohydrates. The lectin activity was adversely affected in the presence of 0.05 M NaOH or 0.025 M HCl, and when the ambient temperature was elevated above 35 degrees C.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology and Department of Microbiology, China Agricultural University, Beijing.
authors.forename: Hexiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tzi Bun
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Ng
mesh_terms: D000363:Agaricales / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D001089:Arabinose / Q000378:metabolism*; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D003636:DEAE-Cellulose / Q000378:metabolism; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006388:Hemagglutinins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D037102:Lectins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008970:Molecular Weight; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D006388:Hemagglutinins; D037102:Lectins; D003636:DEAE-Cellulose; D001089:Arabinose; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium