Isolation and Partial Characterization of a Lectin from the Internal Organs of the Sea Cucumber (Holothuria scabra Jaeger)

• Main Authors: Elmer-Rico E. Mojica, Florinia E. Merca
• Format: Publication
• Language: English
• Published: Academic Journals Inc 2005

The internal organs of the sea cucumber (Holothuria scabra Jaeger) were used as source of lectin. Lectin was isolated by extraction with 0.01 M Tris buffer (0.15 M NaCl at pH 7.5), ammonium sulfate fractionation and gel chromatography using Sephadex G-200. The isolated lectin was found to be non-blood type specific and non-blood group specific since it agglutinated all types of human blood as well as animal erythrocytes. Trypsin and calcium ions increase the isolated lectin`s agglutinating activity. Optimum activity of the lectin was achieved between 20-50?C and at pH 6-8. Hapten inhibition studies did not show any specificity towards the nineteen sugar standards tested. The lectin is a glycoprotein containing 1.33% total sugars as determined by the phenol-sulfuric acid method. The molecular weight of the native lectin was estimated to be 355 kD using Sephadex G-200. SDS-PAGE revealed five sub-units with estimated molecular weights of 120, 98, 80, 65 and 51 kD.