A New Lectin from Meadow Saffron (Colchicum automnale)

Abstract

A lectin has been isolated from tubers of the meadow saffron (Colchicum autumnak). It is an octameric protein (Mr 100,000) composed of 4A-and 4B-subunits of M, 15,000 and 10,000, respectively. It is a glycoprotein with 4.4% carbohydrate, the main sugars are (N-acetyl-) glucosamine, mannose, fucose, and xylose. Although the Coichicum autumnale agglutinin (CAA) agglutinates human red blood cells, it has a much higher activity with rabbit erythrocytes. With respect to its carbohydrate-binding specificity CAA behaves rather unusually as it is inhibited by lactose, galactose, N-acetylgalactosamine and related sugars when assayed with human red blood cells but not in assays with rabbit erythrocytes.

Regulation of gelatinase B (MMP‐9) in leukocytes by plant lectins

“…The following lectins [2]were used in this study (the international nomenclature for abbreviations is used throughout): Bauhinia purpurea lectin (BPA), soybean ( Glycine max ) agglutinin (SBA), Wisteria floribunda agglutinin (WFA), Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA), Datura stramonium lectin (DSA), Urtica dioica agglutinin (UDA), Amaranthus caudatus lectin (ACA), wheat germ ( Triticum aestivum ) agglutinin (WGA), Maackia amurensis agglutinin (MAA), Viscum album chitin‐binding agglutinin (VisAlbCBA), pea ( Pisum sativum ) lectin (PSA), Vicia faba lectin (VFL), Rhizoctonia solani agglutinin (RSA), Colchicum autumnale agglutinin (CAA), Tulipa lectin (TxLC‐I), Phaseolus vulgaris agglutinin E (PHA‐E4), Phaseolus vulgaris agglutinin L (PHA‐L4), Allium sativum agglutinin (ASA), Allium ursinum agglutinin (AUA), Galanthus nivalis agglutinin (GNA), Narcissus pseudonarcissus agglutinin (NPA), Hippeastrum hybrid agglutinin (HHA), Xanthosoma sagittifolium agglutinin (XSA), Listera ovata agglutinin (LOA), Calystegia sepium agglutinin (Calsepa), Convolvulus arvensis agglutinin (Conarva), Helianthus tuberosus agglutinin (Heltuba). All lectins were electrophoretically pure [2, 3, 17–19]and prepared as a stock solution of 1 mg/ml. Ten‐fold dilution series were made in 0.9% pyrogen‐free NaCl solution.…”

Isolation and characterization of a lectin with exclusive specificity towards mannose from snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) bulbs

“…This lectin, which is the first to be isolated from a species of the family Amaryllidaceae, differs with respect to its molecular structure from all known monocot (and dicot) lectins such as those from grasses, tulip and meadow saffron [1][2][3][4][5]. In addition, GNA exhibits also a very particular carbohydrate-binding specificity which is distinct from that of the mannose/glucose binding lectins from legumes such as jackbean (Canavalia ensiformis) and pea (Pisum sativum) in that GNA recognizes exclusively mannose.…”

Molecular cloning of the lectin and a lectin-related protein from common Solomon's seal (Polygonatum multiflorum)

“…Several Liliaceae lectins have been described but most of them are apparently unrelated to the monocot mannose-binding lectins. For instance, the lectins isolated from tubers and bulbs of meadow saffron (Colchicum autumnale) [23] and tulip (Tulipa sp.) [5,21], respectively, have a different molecular structure and specificity.…”