A D-galactose-binding lectin with mitogenic activity from Musca domestica pupae.
A lectin with potent mitogenic activity was isolated from Musca domestica pupae. The lectin was a monomer with a molecular weight of 55 kDa. The purification procedure mainly involved affinity chromatography on galactose-Sepharose-4B. The lectin agglutinated trypsin-treated rabbit blood cells. D-galactose was detected to inhibit the lectin's hemagglutination activity. The lectin was metal independent and temperature dependent and was detected by the periodic acid-Shiff reaction to be a glycoprotein with a carbohydrate content of 2.1%. Observations with an atomic force microscope indicated that the lectin was a globular protein about 75 nm in size, with several carbohydrate chains linked to it. It elicited a mitogenic response from mouse splenocytes in vitro, with the maximal response at a concentration of 20 microg/ml. No lectin has been reported before from Musca domestica pupae, and the lectin we discovered could be of great importance in insect immunity and hypoimmune diseases.
Key Laboratory of Food Safety and Sanitation, Ministry of Education, College of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China.
Xiaohong
X
Cao
Dezhi
D
Mao
Chunling
C
Wang
Bin
B
Zeng
Aihua
A
Wang
Meifang
M
Lu
Chengjian
C
Xu
D000818:Animals; D005690:Galactose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006384:Hemagglutination; D006793:Houseflies / Q000378:metabolism*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D037102:Lectins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008670:Metals; D051379:Mice; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008934:Mitogens / Q000378:metabolism*; D011679:Pupa / Q000378:metabolism; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013696:Temperature
D037102:Lectins; D008670:Metals; D008934:Mitogens; D005690:Galactose