DIFFERENTIAL BINDING-PROPERTIES OF GAL GALNAC SPECIFIC LECTINS AVAILABLE FOR CHARACTERIZATION OF GLYCORECEPTORS/

Differentiating the binding properties of applied lectins should facil itate the selection of lectins for characterization of glycoreceptors on the cell surface. Based on the binding specificities studied by inh ibition assays of lectin-glycan interactions, over twenty Gal and/or G alNAc specific lectins have been divided into eight groups according t o their specificity for structural units (lectin determinants), which are the disaccharide as all or part of the determinants and of GalNAc alpha 1-->Ser (Thr) of the peptide chain. A scheme of codes for lectin determinants is illustrated as follows: (1) F (GalNAc alpha 1-->3GalN Ac), Forssman specific disaccharide - Dolichos biflorus (DBL), Helix p omatia (HPL) and Wistaria floribunda (WFL) lectins. (2) A (GalAc alpha 1-->3Gal), blood group A specific disaccharide-Codium fragile subspec ies tomentosoides (CFT), Soy bean (SBL), Vicia villosa-A(4) (VVL-A(4)) , and Wistaria floribunda (WFL) lectins. (3) Tn (GalNAc alpha 1-->Ser (Thr) of the protein core) - Vicia villosa B-4 (VVL-B-4), Salvia sclar ea (SSL), Maclura pomifera (MPL), Bauhinia purpurea alba (BPL) and Art ocarpus integrifolia (Jacalin, AIL). (4) T (Gal beta 1-->3GalNAc), the mucin type sugar sequences on the human erythrocyte membrane(T alpha) , T antigen or the disaccharides at the terminal nonreducing end of ga ngliosides(T beta) - Peanut (PNA), Bauhinia purpurea alba (BPL) Maclur a pomifera (MPL), Sophora japonica (SJL), Artocarpus lakoocha (Artocar pin) lectins and Abrus precatorius agglutinin (APA).(5) I and II (Gal beta 1-->3(4)GlcNAc) the disaccharide residue at the nonreducing end o f the carbohydrate chains derived from either N- or O-glycosidic linka ge - Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA,), Datura stramonium (TAL, Thorn apple), Erythrina eristagalli (ECL, Coral tree), and Geodia cydonium (GCL). (6) B (Gal alpha 1-->3Gal), human blood group B specific disacc haride-Griffonia (Bandeiraea) simplicifolia B-4 (GSI-B-4). (T) E (Gal alpha 1-->4Gal), receptors for pathogenic E. coli agglutinin, Shiga to xin and Mistletoe toxic lectin-I (ML-I) and abrin-a.