title: High molecular weight lectin isolated from the mucus of the giant African snail Achatina fulica.
abstract: To understand better the host defense mechanisms of mollusks against pathogens, we examined the anti-microbial activity of mucus from the giant African snail Achatina fulica. Hemagglutination activity of the mucus secreted by the integument of snails inoculated with Escherichia coli was observed to increase and to cause hemagglutination of rabbit red blood cells. Purification of the snail mucus lectin by sequential column chromatography revealed that the relative molecular mass of the lectin was 350 kDa. The hemagglutination activity of the lectin was Ca(2+)-dependent and was inhibited by galactose. Growth arrest tests showed that the lectin did not inhibit bacterial growth, but did induce agglutination of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Tissue distribution analyses using a polyclonal antibody revealed that the lectin was expressed in the tissues of the mantle collar. The lectin isolated from the mucus of the snail appeared to contribute to its innate immunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sophia University, Tokyo 102-8554, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagatsuka
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitajima
authors.forename: Michiyo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Honda
authors.forename: Takahide
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kanzawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006384:Hemagglutination / Q000187:drug effects; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D037102:Lectins / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009093:Mucus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology; D021381:Protein Transport; D011817:Rabbits; D012908:Snails / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D037102:Lectins