Purification, Characterization, and Preliminary X-Ray Diffraction Analysis of a Lactose-Specific Lectin from Cymbosema roseum Seeds

The unique carbohydrate-binding property of lectins makes them invaluable tools in biomedical research. Here, we report the purification, partial primary structure, carbohydrate affinity characterization, crystallization, and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of a lactose-specific lectin from Cymbosema roseum seeds (CRLII). Isolation and purification of CRLII was performed by a single step using a Sepharose-4B-lactose affinity chromatography column. The carbohydrate affinity characterization was carried using assays for hemagglutination activity and inhibition. CRLII showed hemagglutinating activity toward rabbit erythrocytes. O-glycoproteins from mucine mucopolysaccharides showed the most potent inhibition capacity at a minimum concentration of 1.2 microg mL(-1). Protein sequencing by mass spectrometry was obtained by the digestion of CRLII with trypsin, Glu-C, and AspN. CRLII partial protein sequence exhibits 46% similarity with the ConA-like alpha chain precursor. Suitable protein crystals were obtained with the hanging-drop vapor-diffusion method with 8% ethylene glycol, 0.1 M Tris-HCl pH 8.5, and 11% PEG 8,000. The monoclinic crystals belong to space group P2(1) with unit cell parameters a = 49.4, b = 89.6, and c = 100.8 A.     

High‐Density Glycosylation of Polymer Membrane Surfaces by Click Chemistry for Carbohydrate–Protein Recognition

To biologically mimic the carbohydrate–protein interactions in artificial systems, one of the challenges is to construct a glycosylated surface with a high glycosyl density to yield a notable ‘glycoside cluster effect’. A novel strategy is presented for high density glycosylation of the surface of a microporous poly(propylene) membrane (MPPM) by click chemistry. It is promising that the surface glycosyl density can be well controlled over a wide range and the maximum value is over 10 µmol · cm⁻². The recognition capability of these glycosylated MPPMs to lectins indicates the occurrence of the ‘glycoside cluster effect’ when the glycosyl density on the membrane surface exceeds 0.20 µmol · cm⁻².

     

Biospecific reversible immobilization

Immobilized lectins placed in continuous flow systems were used for biospecific reversible immobilization of labile biochemical structures, e.g., enzymes such as ascorbic acid oxidase and acetylcholine esterase, and cells, such as red blood cells and lymphocytes. The species thus immobilized were applied in continuous flow analytical processes.     

Cation Selectivity of Channels Formed at Planar Lipid Bilayer by Pinellia ternata Lectin

By means of the two-compartment system. PTL-channels, the first lectin channels formed on planar lipid bilayers by Pinellia ternata lectin (PTL) have been studied. The results show (i) PTL-channels are voltage-independent and have apparent subunits; (ii) in 50 mmol/L KC1 and 25 mmol/L BaCl2 solutions, a single channel has unit conductance of 21 pS and 42 pS, respectively; (iii) the channel exhibits a slightly higher permeability to divalent than monovalent cation (PBa/PK=4.1), and (iv) the selectivity among divalent or monovalent cations is poor. The cation selectivity sequence for the channel will follow PBa(7. 0)-Psr (6. 4)~PMg(6. 4)>PK(1. 7)>PN.(1. 0)~PLi(l. 0).Moreover, these data also give explanation to the facilitatory action of PTL on the release of acetyl-choline from motor nerve terminals.     

Determination of Glucose by Affinity Adsorption Solid Substrate‐room Temperature Phosphorimetry Based on Triticum Vulgare Lectin Labeled with Silicon Dioxide Nanoparticle Containing Fluorescein Isothiocyanate

In the presence of heavy atom perturber Pb2＋, silicon dioxide nanoparticle containing fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC-SiO2) could emit a strong and stable room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) signal on the surface of acetyl cellulose membrane (ACM). It was found in the research that a quantitative specific affinity adsorption (AA) reaction between triticum vulgare lectin (WGA) labeled with luminescent nanoparticle and glucose (G) could be carried on the surface of ACM. The product (WGA-G-WGA-FITC-SiO2) of the reaction could emit a stronger RTP signal, and the ΔIp had linear correlation to the content of G. According to the facts above, a new method to determine G by affinity adsorption solid substrate room temperature phosphorimetry (AA-SS-RTP) was established, based on WGA labeled with FITC-SiO2. The detection limit (LD) of this method calculated by 3Sb/k was 0.47 pg•spot－1 (corresponding to a concentration value 1.2×10－9 g•mL－1, namely 5.3×10－9 mol•L－1), the sensitivity was high. Meanwhile, the mechanism for the determination of G by AA-SS-RTP was discussed.     

基于凝集素的唾液糖蛋白分离、分析及应用

唾液中的糖蛋白丰度偏低,给分离、分析带来挑战。该文采用麦胚素（WGA）和橙黄网胞盘菌凝集素（AAL）分别富集糖蛋白,考察了高丰度蛋白质去除和不同酶解方式对糖蛋白分离、分析的影响。结果显示,WGA和AAL提取的唾液糖蛋白经胶内酶解可鉴定到的糖蛋白数量显著多于溶液内酶解的结果,也优于去除高丰度蛋白质后的鉴定结果。选择WGA结合胶内酶解进一步对比分析肺癌患者与健康人唾液糖蛋白的差异,通过免标记定量分析共鉴定到139个蛋白质,其中102个蛋白质存在糖基化位点,包括14个在癌症组和正常组之间存在显著差异（p<0.05）的糖蛋白,表明该策略可用于唾液糖蛋白的有效分离、分析和癌症标志物的发现。     

Molecular Modeling and Docking of Mannose-binding Lectin from Lycoris radiata

Lycoris radiata mannose-binding lectin（LRL） is a protein which binds mannose residues specifically. The maturation peptide and three mannose-binding domains（residues 49-57, 80-88 and 113--121） of LRL were identified by sequence analysis. The 3D structure of LRL constructed by homology modeling shaped a flstular triangular prism. Three flanks of the prism are mainly composed of β-sheets and each flank has a mannose-binding domain. According to the docking and dynamics simulation, the bindings of residues 49--57 and 80--88 with mannose are more stable than that of residues 113--121 with it. The key residues for binding mannose are Gin80, Asp82, Ash84 and Tyr88. The study preliminarily analyzed the interaction sites and mechanism of LRL with mannoses, which could be useful for the study on insect-resistance and related drug discovery of LRL.     

氧化石墨烯固定化凝集素的制备及在糖蛋白/糖肽富集中的应用

生物体内蛋白质的糖基化修饰调控着细胞识别、细胞黏附和迁移以及免疫应答等多种生理过程,并与多种人类重大疾病的发生、发展密切相关。因此对蛋白质糖基化修饰的鉴定,不仅能够为生物学机理研究提供重要信息,对疾病诊断标志物和治疗靶标的发现也至关重要。然而在复杂生物体系中,大多数糖蛋白为低丰度蛋白质,其含量与现有质谱仪器的检测灵敏度之间存在较大差距,所以对含有不同糖型结构的糖蛋白进行全面/高效的富集,是实现高灵敏度糖蛋白鉴定的必由之路。凝集素富集作为一种有效的糖蛋白富集方法,已在糖蛋白质组学研究中得到了广泛的应用。针对现有凝集素功能化材料存在负载量偏低以及富集效率有限等问题,我们制备了两种以氧化石墨烯(GO)为载体的新型固定化凝集素,利用GO比表面积大,功能基团含量高,分散性、化学稳定性好等特点,实现了高负载量的凝集素固定(GO-ConA 2.073 mg/mg, RSD=1.0%; GO-WGA 1.908 mg/mg, RSD=0.14%)。同时考察了材料的可重复使用性与稳定性:每隔3天测一次同一GO-lectin材料对对应糖蛋白的富集效果,可以看出材料合成两周内富集效果都>200 μg/mg。将该GO-lectin成功应用于糖蛋白、糖肽的选择性富集,在糖蛋白质组学研究中体现出良好的应用潜力。     

A Neoglycoprotein-Immobilized Fluorescent Magnetic Bead Suspension Multiplex Array for Galectin-Binding Studies

Carbohydrate-protein conjugates have diverse applications. They have been used clinically as vaccines against bacterial infection and have been developed for high-throughput assays to elucidate the ligand specificities of glycan-binding proteins (GBPs) and antibodies. Here, we report an effective process that combines highly efficient chemoenzymatic synthesis of carbohydrates, production of carbohydrate-bovine serum albumin (glycan-BSA) conjugates using a squarate linker, and convenient immobilization of the resulting neoglycoproteins on carboxylate-coated fluorescent magnetic beads for the development of a suspension multiplex array platform. A glycan-BSA-bead array containing BSA and 50 glycan-BSA conjugates with tuned glycan valency was generated. The binding profiles of six plant lectins with binding preference towards Gal and/or GalNAc, as well as human galectin-3 and galectin-8, were readily obtained. Our results provide useful information to understand the multivalent glycan-binding properties of human galectins. The neoglycoprotein-immobilized fluorescent magnetic bead suspension multiplex array is a robust and flexible platform for rapid analysis of glycan and GBP interactions and will find broad applications.     

Obtaining biologically active substances from Amaranthus caudatus L. seeds in one technological cycle

Nowadays, amaranth is a valuable multipurpose crop and a source of a number of very important biologically active substances. The aim of this study was to develop a comprehensive scheme for obtaining fatty oil, triterpenoids and lectin from the seeds of Amaranthus caudatus L. in one technological cycle. Two variants of the lectin and triterpene compound purification method from amaranth seeds were tested. It was determined that the extraction of triterpene compounds should be carried out after purification of the lectin from degreased seeds. The rationality of this sequence of technological operations is explained by the lability of the lectin and the insolubility in water of triterpene compounds from amaranth seeds. The study also presents a scheme for obtaining squalene from amaranth oil by chromatography on silica gel and proposes a more effective affinity sorbent for purification of the lectin. The use of such a sorbent also opens up the possibility of preserving other water-soluble substances from amaranth seeds. The physicochemical characteristics and carbohydrate specificity of the lectin are described and new data on the results of the interaction of lectin with human and animal erythrocytes are given. The obtained results are discussed in the light of the complex use of raw materials.