A Novel Lectin Isolated from the Hemolymph of the Marine Hair Crab Erimacrus isenbeckii

Title: A Novel Lectin Isolated from the Hemolymph of the Marine Hair Crab Erimacrus isenbeckii

Volume: 14 Issue: 8

Author(s): Young Jun Na, Yu Jeong Kim, Byung Tae Park, Byung Wook Jung, Kwang Woo Hwang and HaHyung Kim

Affiliation:

Keywords: Erimacrus isenbeckii, crab, hemolymph, lectin, O-acetylsialic acid, mannose

Abstract: A lectin that induces hemagglutination activity in mouse and rabbit erythrocytes has been purified from the hemolymph of the marine hair crab Erimacrus isenbeckii. The results of SDS-PAGE, gel-filtration, affinity and anionexchange chromatography indicate that this lectin, designated EIL (E. isenbeckii lectin), was successfully purified as a single protein, and comprises a mixture of a major (90%) dimeric and a minor (10%) oligomeric protein with a molecular mass of 116 kDa, with covalent linking between two subunits of 62 and 54 kDa. The activity was maximal at pH 5.6 – 8.0 and at temperatures below 50°C. The N-terminal amino acid sequences were determined, and these differed greatly from those of other reported lectins from invertebrates, vertebrates, or plants. EIL binds with high specificities to both the O-acetylsialic acid and mannose that are present in bacterial pathogens, which suggests that EIL can act as a defense protein against infection in this crab.

Cite this article as:

Young Jun Na , Yu Jeong Kim , Byung Tae Park , Byung Wook Jung , Kwang Woo Hwang and HaHyung Kim , A Novel Lectin Isolated from the Hemolymph of the Marine Hair Crab Erimacrus isenbeckii, Protein & Peptide Letters 2007; 14 (8) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/092986607781483714