CELL-SURFACE LECTINS OF AZOSPIRILLUM SPP

Cell-surface lectins were screened in seven strains of Azospirillum br asilense and A. lipoferum. The presence of lectins was determined by p article agglutination assays employing latex beads coated with neoglyc oproteins and by Western blot with neoglycoproteins labeled with horse radish peroxidase as a probe. Seven strains were agglutinated with the assayed sugar residues. The highest agglutination was with fucose and glucose and to a lesser extent with mannose residues. Cell-wall prote ins extracted from two Azospirillum spp. strains exhibit lectin-like a ctivities, We believe that lectins are present in the cell-wall of Azo spirillum spp.