A structural comparison of the A and B subunits of Griffonia simplicifolia I isolectins

Purification and partial characterization of a new mannose/glucose-specific lectin from Dialium guineense Willd seeds that exhibits toxic effect

A new mannose/glucose-specific lectin, named DigL, was purified from seeds of Dialium guineense by a single step using a Sepharose 4b-Mannose affinity chromatography column. DigL strongly agglutinated rabbit erythrocytes and was inhibited by d-mannose, d-glucose, and derived sugars, especially α-methyl-d-mannopyranoside and N-acetyl-d-glucosamine. DigL has been shown to be a stable protein, maintaining its hemagglutinating activity after incubation at a wide range of temperature and pH values and after incubation with EDTA. DigL is a glycoprotein composite by approximately 2.9% of carbohydrates by weight. By sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis, the purified DigL exhibited an electrophoretic profile consisting of a broad band of 28-30 kDa. Analysis using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry indicated that purified DigL possesses a molecular average mass of 28 452 ± 2 Da and shows the presence of possible glycoforms. In addition, DigL exhibited an intermediary toxic effect on Artemia sp. nauplii, and this effect was both dependent on native structure and mediated by a carbohydrate-binding site.

Preparation and biological properties of a melibiose binding lectin from Bauhinia variegata seeds

A dimeric 64-kDa melibiose-binding lectin was isolated from the seeds of Bauhinia variegata. The isolation procedure comprised affinity chromatography on Affi-gel blue gel, ion exchange chromatography on Mono Q, and gel filtration on Superdex 75. The lectin was adsorbed on the first two chromatographic media. Its hemagglutinating activity was stable after 30-min exposure to temperatures up to 70 degrees C. Since lectins may demonstrate biological activities such as antiproliferative, immunomodulatory, antifungal, antiviral, and HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitory activities, the isolated lectin was tested for these activities. It was found that the lectin inhibited proliferation in hepatoma HepG2 cells and breast cancer MCF7 cells with an IC(50) of 1.4 microM and 0.18 microM, respectively. HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activity was inhibited with an IC(50) of 1.02 microM. The lectin and concanavalin A (Con A) evoked maximal mitogenic response from mouse splenocytes at similar concentrations, but the maximal response to B. variegata lectin was only 1/5 of that induced by Con A in magnitude. B. variegata lectin was devoid of antifungal activity.

Improved recovery of proteome-informative, protein N-terminal peptides by combined fractional diagonal chromatography (COFRADIC)

We previously described a proteome-wide, peptide-centric procedure for sorting protein N-terminal peptides and used these peptides as readouts for protease degradome and xenoproteome studies. This procedure is part of a repertoire of gel-free techniques known as COmbined FRActional DIagonal Chromatography (COFRADIC) and highly enriches for alpha-amino-blocked peptides, including alpha-amino-acetylated protein N-terminal peptides. Here, we introduce two additional steps that significantly increase the fraction of such proteome-informative, N-terminal peptides: strong cation exchange (SCX) segregation of alpha-amino-blocked and alpha-amino-free peptides and an enzymatic step liberating pyroglutamyl peptides for 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid (TNBS) modification and thus COFRADIC sorting. The SCX step reduces the complexity of the analyte mixture by enriching N-terminal peptides and depleting alpha-amino-free internal peptides as well as proline-starting peptides prior to COFRADIC. The action of pyroglutamyl aminopeptidases prior to the first COFRADIC peptide separation results in greatly diminishing numbers of contaminating pyroglutamyl peptides in peptide maps. We further show that now close to 95% of all COFRADIC-sorted peptides are alpha-amino-acetylated and, using the same amount of starting material, our novel procedure leads to an increased number of protein identifications.

Isolation and Biochemical Characterization of a Galactoside Binding Lectin from Bauhinia variegata Candida (BvcL) Seeds

A new lectin (BvcL) from seeds of a primitive Brazilian Caesalpinoideae, the Bauhinia variegata candida was purified and biochemical characterized. BvcL was isolated by gel filtration chromatography on Sephadex G75 and affinity chromatography on immobilized D: -lactose column. SDS-PAGE showed that BvcL under non-reducing condition presents two bands of 68 and 32 kDa and a single band of 32 kDa in reducing condition. However, only one band was seen in native PAGE. The hemagglutination activity of BvcL was not specific for any human blood group trypsin-treated erythrocytes. Carbohydrate inhibition analysis indicated that BvcL is inhibited by lactose, galactose, galactosamine and other galactoside derivates. Amino acid analysis revealed a large content of Ser, Gly, Thr, Asp and Glu and low concentrations of Met, Cys and His. Intrinsic fluorescence of BvcL was not significantly affected by sugar binding galactose; and aromatic-region CD is unusually high for plant lectins. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of 17 residues showed 90% sequential homology to galactose-specific legume lectins of the subfamily Caesalpinoideae.

Studying the interaction of alpha-gal carbohydrate antigen and proteins by quartz-crystal microbalance

The interaction of alpha-galacosyl antigen and its binding protein (anti-Gal antibody) has been studied by quartz crystal microbalance through a SAM immobilization technique which overcomes the nonspecific interactions and molecule trapping for current piezoelectric biosensors.

Isolectins I-A and I-B of Griffonia (Bandeiraea) simplicifolia. Crystal structure of metal-free GS I-B(4) and molecular basis for metal binding and monosaccharide specificity

Seeds from the African legume shrub Griffonia simplicifolia contain several lectins. Among them the tetrameric lectin GS I-B(4) has strict specificity for terminal alpha Gal residues, whereas the closely related lectin GS I-A(4) can also bind to alpha GalNAc. These two lectins are commonly used as markers in histology or for research in xenotransplantation. To elucidate the basis for the fine difference in specificity, the amino acid sequences of both lectins have been determined and show 89% identity. The crystal structure of GS I-B(4), determined at 2.5-A resolution, reveals a new quaternary structure that has never been observed in other legume lectins. An unexpected loss of both Ca(2+) and Mn(2+) ions, which are necessary for carbohydrate binding in legume lectins, may be related to a particular amino acid sequence Pro-Glu-Pro in the metal binding loop. Comparison with demetallized concanavalin A reveals a different process for the loss of metal ions and for the subsequent loss of carbohydrate binding activity. The GS I-A x alpha GalNAc and GS I-B x alpha Gal complexes were constructed using homology modeling and docking approaches. The unusual presence of an aromatic amino acid at position 47 (Tyr in I-A and Trp in I-B) explains the strong preference for alpha-anomeric sugars in both isolectins. Alteration at one amino acid position, Ala(106) in I-A versus Glu(106) in I-B, is the basis for the observed specificities toward alpha GalNAc and alpha Gal.

The xenograft antigen bound to Griffonia simplicifolia lectin 1-B(4). X-ray crystal structure of the complex and molecular dynamics characterization of the binding site

The shortage of organs for transplantation into human patients continues to be a driving force behind research into the use of tissues from non-human donors, particularly pig. The primary barrier to such xenotransplantation is the reaction between natural antibodies present in humans and Old World monkeys and the Gal alpha(1-3)Gal epitope (xenograft antigen, xenoantigen) found on the cell surfaces of the donor organ. This hyperacute immune response leads ultimately to graft rejection. Because of its high specificity for the xenograft antigen, isolectin 1-B(4) from Griffonia simplicifolia (GS-1-B(4)) has been used as an immunodiagnostic reagent. Furthermore, haptens that inhibit natural antibodies also inhibit GS-1-B(4) from binding to the xenoantigen. Here we report the first x-ray crystal structure of the xenograft antigen bound to a protein (GS-1-B(4)). The three-dimensional structure was determined from orthorhombic crystals at a resolution of 2.3 A. To probe the influence of binding on ligand properties, we report also the results of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on this complex as well as on the free ligand. The MD simulations were performed with the AMBER force-field for proteins augmented with the GLYCAM parameters for glycosides and glycoproteins. The simulations were performed for up to 10 ns in the presence of explicit solvent. Through comparison with MD simulations performed for the free ligand, it has been determined that GS-1-B(4) recognizes the lowest energy conformation of the disaccharide. In addition, the x-ray and modeling data provide clear explanations for the reported specificities of the GS-1-B(4) lectin. It is anticipated that a further understanding of the interactions involving the xenograft antigen will help in the development of therapeutic agents for application in the prevention of hyperacute xenograft rejection.

The xenograft antigen in complex with GS-1-B4 lectin: crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis

The implantation of animal organs is one approach to overcoming the shortage of human donor organs for medical transplantation. Although readily available, non-primate tissues are subject to hyperacute rejection wherein human anti-Galalpha(1-3)Gal antibodies react with haptens present on the transplanted cells' surfaces. The understanding of this interaction on a molecular level will further the development of a strategy for the prevention of hyperacute rejection in xenotransplantation. The Galalpha(1-3)Gal hapten ('xenograft antigen') has been cocrystallized with the Gal-specific B(4) isolectin of Griffonia simplicifolia lectin-1. Crystals were analyzed by cryocrystallography and were found to diffract to moderately high resolution on a rotating-anode X-ray source. They belong to the P2(1)2(1)2 space group, with unit-cell parameters a = 111.0, b = 51.3, c = 76.9 A, and contain two molecules per asymmetric unit.

Structural differences between two lectins from Cytisus scoparius, both specific for D-galactose and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine

Three lectin fractions were obtained from seeds of the leguminous plant Cytisus scoparius (Scotch broom) by means of affinity chromatography on a N-acetyl-D-galactosamine medium. The first fraction, termed CSIa, was equally well inhibited in haemagglutination experiments by D-galactose and by N-acetyl-D-galactosamine and consisted of a group of isolectins formed from closely related polypeptide chains of approx. Mr 30000. The second fraction, CSIb, was closely related to CSIa in specificity, c.d. and other properties. The third fraction contained a homogeneous lectin, CSII, formed from subunits again of approx. Mr 30000. CSII was 100 times more readily inhibited by N-acetyl-D-galactosamine than by D-galactose. Despite the similarity in specificity, comparative studies of their amino acid composition, c.d. and N-terminal amino acid sequence showed that the CSIa and CSII lectins diverged considerably in structure. The lectin from Cytisus sessilifolius, specific for chitobiose, was also examined and resembled CSIa in composition and c.d. properties.