The body surface mucus from the land slug, Incilaria fruhstorferi, not
only opsonized sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and agglutinated human ty
pes A and B erythrocytes (HRBC) but also caused hemolysis of B type HR
BC 12 h after agglutination. The mucus-induced hemagglutination was sp
ecifically inhibited by a low concentration of N-acetyl D-galactosamin
e (GaINAc), and all of this activity was completely inactivated by hea
ting at 56 degrees C for 30 min. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresi
s of water soluble fraction of the mucus showed that this fraction con
tained several proteins, the molecular mass of the main band being 35
KD. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.