Tandem repeat l-rhamnose-binding lectin from the skin mucus of ponyfish, Leiognathus nuchalis

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications Vol. 333; no. 2; pp. 463 - 469
• Main Authors: Okamoto, Masaki, Tsutsui, Shigeyuki, Tasumi, Satoshi, Suetake, Hiroaki, Kikuchi, Kiyoshi, Suzuki, Yuzuru
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 29.07.2005
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Base Sequence; Echinoidea; Fishes - genetics; Fishes - metabolism; l-Rhamnose-binding lectin; Lectins - chemistry; Lectins - genetics; Lectins - metabolism; Leiognathus nuchalis; Molecular Sequence Data; Molecular Weight; Mucus - chemistry; Organ Specificity; Ponyfish; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Skin - metabolism; Skin mucus; Species Specificity; Tandem Repeat Sequences - genetics; Tandem repeat structure; Tissue Distribution; Skin mucus; Tandem repeat structure; Leiognathus nuchalis; Ponyfish; l-Rhamnose-binding lectin
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2005.05.118

Two lactose-binding lectins (PFL-1 and -2) were identified in the skin mucus of ponyfish, Leiognathus nuchalis. The molecular masses of PFL-1 and -2 were estimated to be 24 and 30 kDa, respectively. Cloning of the PFL-1 cDNA demonstrated its unique tandem repeat structure composed of two homologous domains with 41.7% internal identity. Furthermore, PFL-1 exhibited homology with l-rhamnose-binding lectins previously purified from the eggs of fish and sea urchins. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of PFL-2 was similar to that of PFL-1, suggesting that this protein is an isotype of PFL-1. The PFL-1 gene was expressed in the skin, an important line of defense against pathogens in fish, but was not expressed in any of the other tissues tested here. PFL-1 is the fourth type of fish skin mucus lectin to be identified, suggesting that different species of fish express different types of lectin in their skin mucus.