Atividade hemaglutinante em sementes de dioclea rostrata BENTH

Abstract

Seeds of Dioc/ea rostrata Benth. Have a lectin which is best extracted with Na-acetate buffer at pH 4.0 and that is selectively adsorbed in a Sephadex G-50 matrix, yielding a protein fraction of high hemagg lutinating titre against rabbit erythrocytes. I t also agglu tinates sheep, and human cells inespecifically. Its hemagglutinating activity is inhibited by glucose fructose, mannose and O-methyl-D-mannopyranoside the latter two being the most active inhibitors. The lectin seems to be a metaloprotein since the hemagglutinating ac tivity is lost in the presence of EDT A.