ISOLATION, CHARACTERIZATION AND MOLECULAR-CLONING OF A LEAF-SPECIFIC LECTIN FROM RAMSONS (ALLIUM-URSINUM L.)

Lectins were isolated from roots and leaves of ramsons and compared to the previously described bulb lectins. Biochemical analyses indicated that the root lectins AUAIr and AUAIIr are identical to the bulb lect ins AUAI and AUAII, whereas the leaf lectin AUAL has no counterpart in the bulbs. cDNA cloning confirmed that the leaf lectin differs from t he bulb lectins. Northern blot analysis further indicated that the lea f lectin is tissue-specifically expressed. Sequence comparisons reveal ed that the ramsons leaf lectin differs considerably from the leaf lec tins of garlic, leek, onion and shallot.