B. Duvic et K. Soderhall, BETA-1,3-GLUCAN-BINDING PROTEINS FROM PLASMA OF THE FRESH-WATER CRAYFISHES ASTACUS-ASTACUS AND PROCAMBARUS-CLARKII, Journal of crustacean biology, 13(3), 1993, pp. 403-408
Two fresh-water crayfishes, Astacus astacus and Procambarus clarkii, a
nd a marine crab, Carcinus maenas, were examined for the presence of b
eta-1,3-glucan-binding proteins in their plasma. By the use of a monos
pecific rabbit polyclonal antiserum to the beta-1,3-glucan-binding pro
tein of Pacifastacus leniusculus, 2 proteins from the plasma of Astacu
s astacus with molecular masses of about 105 kDa and 95 kDa as well as
a 100-kDa protein in the plasma of Procambarus clarkii could be detec
ted. No protein in plasma of Carcinus maenas cross-reacted with the an
ti-Pacifastacus leniusculus beta-1,3-glucan-binding protein antibodies
. The cross-reactive proteins from plasma of Astacus astacus were puri
fied by immuno-affinity chromatography. The isolated proteins were hom
ogenous as judged by electrophoresis on SDS-PAGE. Isoelectric focusing
of the purified proteins gave pIs of about 6.1 and 6.4. The purified
proteins from the plasma of Astacus astacus enhanced the activity of a
hemocyte lysate supernatant-derived phenoloxidase of Pacifastacus len
iusculus as did the beta-1,3-glucan-binding protein of Pacifastacus le
niusculus.