Purification and Characterization of Echinonectin, a Carbohydrate-Binding Protein from Sea Urchin Eggs |
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Authors: | Patricia A Veno Margaret A Strumski William H Kinsey |
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Institution: | Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida 33101, USA |
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Abstract: | A galactose-specific carbohydrate binding protein has been identified in eggs and embryos of the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus . This protein, named echinonectin (Alliegro et al., 1988, J. Cell Biol. 107; 2319–2327) has been described as a cell-substrate adhesion protein functioning during embryonic development. The purified protein has an apparent molecular weight of 220 kDa and exists as a dimer of apparently identical 110 kDa subunits. The carbohytrate specificity of the purified protein was examined through the use of competition assays. The protein has a marked specificity for galactose and fucose and a higher affinity for polymers of galactose or galactose sulfate such as carrageenan. |
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