dc.description.abstract |
Agglutinins or lectins are conventionally defined as proteins/glycoproteins of non immune origin with a remarkable ability to specifically and reversibly interact with
carbohydrate ligands. Although lectins are produced by a myriad of organisms, some of which are phylogenetically remote, and therefore exhibit distinct
physicochemical and biochemical characteristics, lectins from different sources
may essentially exhibit common biological activities. This study was therefore
undertaken to preliminarily characterize the lectins in the serum of S. serrata as a
prerequisite for isolation, purification and biological activity evaluation. Multiple
agglutinins were detected in the serum of the marine crab Scylla serrata. The serum
agglutinins agglutinated a wide range of mammalian erythrocytes RBC . The
hemagglutinating activity was high within a pH range of 7.0 to 8.5, and was
dependent on divalent cations Ca2+
, Sr2+ & Mg
2+
, with preference for Ca2+
. An
agglutinating activity independent of Ca2+
was also demonstrated, indicating the
presence of heterogenous agglutinins .The serum HA activity was inhibited by a
wide range of related and unrelated carbohydrates, suggesting the presence of
multiple agglutinins. The serum agglutinins reacted/interacted with a variety of
bacteria including the Vibrio species known to be the most frequent opportunistic
pathogens of aquatic crustaceans
dependent;
carbohydrates;
glycoproteins;
host defense |
en_US |