A LECTIN FROM LEAVES OF NEOREGELIA-FLANDRIA RECOGNIZES D-GLUCOSE, D-MANNOSE AND N-ACETYL D-GLUCOSAMINE, DIFFERING FROM THE MANNOSE-SPECIFICLECTINS OF OTHER MONOCOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS

A mannose-specific lectin was isolated from leaves of Neoregelia fland ria, an ornamental plant that belongs to Bromeliaceae, a family of mon ocotyledons. The amino acid composition and molecular mass of the lect in were similar to those of mannose-specific lectins from other monoco tyledons. However, in a test to examine the inhibition of hemagglutina tion, it became apparent that the isolated lectin recognized D-glucose and N-acetyl D-glucosamine in addition to D-mannose, unlike mannose-s pecific lectins from the monocotyledons that have been reported to dat e.