Preparation and properties of metal ion derivatives of the lentil and pea lectins

Lentil lectin (LcH) and pea lectin (PSA) belong to the class of D-glucose/D-mannose binding lectins and resemble concanavalin A (Con A) closely in physicochemical, structural, and biological properties. LcH and PSA, like Con A, are Ca2+-Mn2+ metalloproteins that require the metal ions for their saccharide binding and biological activities. Studies of the relationship between the metal ions binding and saccharide binding activity in LcH and PSA have been difficult due to the problem of metal ion replacement in these proteins. We now report a method of metal ion replacement in both lectins that allows substitution of the Mn2+ in the native proteins with a variety of transition metal ions, as well as substitution of the Ca2+ with Cd2+ in a particular complex. The following metal ion derivatives of both LcH and PSA have been prepared: Ca2+-Zn2+, Ca2+-Co2+, Ca2+-Ni2+, and Cd2+-Cd2+. All of these derivatives are as active as the native lectins, as demonstrated by precipitation with specific polysaccharides, saccharide inhibition of precipitation, and hemagglutination assays. The yields of these derivatives are good (generally greater than 70%), and the degree of metal ion incorporation is high (generally greater than 90%). The method of preparation is quite different from that for metal ion substitution in Con A, which proceeds via the apoprotein. In contrast, the apoproteins of LcH and PSA are unstable, aggregate above pH 4.0, and cannot be remetallized once formed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effect of pea and lentil lectins on in vitro absorption of nutrients

In vitro absorption of nutrients like glucose, leucine, protein hydrolysate and Ca2+ by ligated loops of small intestine was significantly affected in presence of lectins from peas and lentils. Except for sucrose, all other nutrients showed significant decrease in their absorption in presence of lectins. Lentil lectins had a greater inhibitory effect than pea lectins.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance investigation of cadmium 113 substituted pea and lentil lectins

The lentil (LcH) and pea (PSA) lectins, which are members of the class of D-glucose/D-mannose binding lectins, are Ca2+ X Mn2+ metalloproteins that require the metal ions for their saccharide binding and biological activities. We have prepared a variety of Cd2+ derivatives of PSA and LcH, with Cd2+ in either the transition metal (S1) or calcium (S2) sites, or in both. Thus, Cd2+ X Zn2+, Cd2+ X Mn2+, and Ca2+ X Cd2+ derivatives were prepared, in addition to the Cd2+ X Cd2+ derivatives which we have recently reported. This is the first report of stable mixed metal Cd2+ complexes of lectins. The physical and saccharide binding properties of the Cd2+ derivatives of both lectins were characterized by a variety of physiochemical techniques and found to be the same as those of the corresponding native proteins. 113Cd NMR spectra of mono- and disubstituted 113Cd2+ complexes of LcH and PSA were recorded and compared with 113Cd NMR data for concanavalin A (ConA) (Palmer, A.R., Bailey, D.B., Behnke, W.D., Cardin, A.D., Yang, P.P., and Ellis, P.D. (1980) Biochemistry 19, 5063-5070). The data for the PSA and LcH derivatives were found to be very similar, indicating close homology of their metal ion binding sites. 113Cd resonances at 44.6 ppm and -129.4 ppm for 113Cd2+ X 113Cd2+ X LcH, and at 46.6 and -130.4 for the corresponding PSA derivative, are chemical shifts very similar to those observed for 113Cd2+ X 113Cd2+ X ConA. Assignment of the resonances to the transition metal (S1) and calcium (S2) sites were unambiguous since the Ca2+ X 113Cd2+ and 113Cd2+ X Zn2+ derivatives of both lectins showed single resonances characteristic of the S1 and S2 sites, respectively. The results indicate that, unlike ConA, 113Cd2+ binds tightly to PSA and LcH. Binding of monosaccharide to both lectins induce small (2 ppm) upfield shifts in their S2 113Cd resonances, in contrast to the larger shift (8 ppm) observed in ConA. The 113Cd2+ X Mn2+ complexes of PSA and LcH fail to show a 113Cd resonance characteristic of these derivatives, which provides evidence for the close proximity of the metal ions in the two proteins. The present findings indicate that the coordinating ligand atoms to the metal ions at the S1 and S2 sites in LcH, PSA, and ConA are the same.     

Intraperitoneal toxicity of pea and lentil lectins in albino rats--effect on growth and osmotic fragility of erythrocytes

Lectins from peas and lentils when injected to rats apparently appeared to be non toxic but they caused growth depression. The organ weights were not affected except spleen enlargement. The lectins also caused increased osmotic fragility of erythrocytes without affecting other hematological parameters such as haemoglobin, packed cell volume, and RBC count.     

Receptors for pea and lentil lectins on human lymphoid cells: demonstration of distinct lectin-defined cell subclasses

Lectins are useful probes for studying cell surface glycoconjugates. Pea (PL) and lentil (LL) lectin each requires for binding a fucosyl- and two alpha-mannosyl residues in core regions of glycopeptides, but differences in outer chain carbohydrates may alter their relative binding affinities. We used binding studies with [125I]-PL and LL and flow cytometry with fluorescein-conjugated (FITC)-PL and -LL to study their interactions with peripheral lymphocytes. Binding of both lectins to lymphocytes was saturable, reversible, and inhibited by alpha-methyl mannose. Scatchard analyses were consistent with two classes of receptors for each lectin. Flow cytometric analyses demonstrated that cell to cell receptor densities varied. Sixty-five percent of lymphocytes bound PL (mean 2 X 10(6) receptors/cell) and 45% bound LL (mean 3 X 10(6) receptors/cell). Competition studies demonstrated mutual inhibition, but flow cytometry revealed persistent FITC-PL or -LL binding depsite 20-fold molar excess of the other lectin. Distributions of receptors for PL and LL on lymphocytes were as follows: 45% of lymphocytes bound both PL and LL; 20% of lymphocytes bound PL alone; 35% of lymphocytes bound neither PL nor LL. Despite similar binding requirements for PL and LL and overlap between their receptors on lymphocytes, there appear to be subsets of receptors specific for each lectin. These results may reflect abilities of PL and LL to discriminate subtle carbohydrate differences on lymphocyte surfaces.     

Preparation and characterization of Ca2+-Zn2+-derivatives of lentil and pea lectins and comparison with the native forms

Ca²⁺-Zn²⁺-derivatives of lentil and pea lectins were prepared for the first time by a unique method involving dialysis of the native Ca²⁺-Mn²⁺-lectins against large excesses of metal ions in pH 4.0 buffer. Each derivative contained about 1.5 g atoms of Ca²⁺ and about 1 g atom of Zn²⁺ per monomer. The derivatives were found to be identical to their respective native forms, both in molecular weight and carbohydrate binding activities. Solvent proton relaxation dispersion measurements were used to characterize both the Ca²⁺-Zn²⁺- and Ca²⁺-Mn²⁺-complexes of the lentil lectin.     

Binding and precipitation of lectins from Erythrina indica and Ricinus communis (agglutinin I) with synthetic cluster glycosides

We recently reported that tri- and tetraantennary complex type oligosaccharides with nonreducing terminal galactose residues and the triantennary asialofetuin glycopeptide can bind and precipitate certain galactose specific lectins (L. Bhattacharyya, and C.F. Brewer (1986) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 141, 963-967; L. Bhattacharyya, M. Haraldsson, and C.F. Brewer (1988) Biochemistry 27, 1034-1041). The present study investigates the binding interactions of two of these lectins, those from Erythrina indica and Ricinus communis (Agglutinin I), with mono-, bi-, and triantennary synthetic cluster glycosides, which have little structural resemblance to complex type oligosaccharides other than they possess nonreducing terminal galactose residues (R.T. Lee, P. Lin, and Y.C. Lee (1984) Biochemistry 23, 4255-4261). The enhanced affinities of the bi- and triantennary glycosides relative to the monoantennary glycoside for the two lectins are consistent with an increase in the probability of binding due to multiple binding residues in the multiantennary glycosides. The triantennary glycoside is capable of precipitating the two lectins, and quantitative precipitation data indicate that it is a trivalent ligand. The results show that the binding and precipitation activities of complex type oligosaccharides with these lectins is due solely to the presence of multiple terminal galactose residues and not to the overall structures of the oligosaccharides.     

Binding of lectins to membranes of mycoplasmas from aging cultures

The binding of iodinated concanavalin A (Con A) and Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA) to intact cells and isolated membranes of Acholeplasma laidlawii, Mycoplasma hominis and Mycoplasma capricolum decreased with the progression of the culture from the mid- to the late-logarithmic phase of growth. The binding of the lectins to Acholeplasma laidlawii membranes had no significant effect on membrane fluidity, as assessed by electron-paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of spin-labelled fatty acids, and had no effect on several membrane-associated enzymic activities. Temperature affected the binding of Con A and RCA in an opposite manner: the binding of Con A increased, whereas that of RCA decreased, on raising the temperature from 4 degrees C to 37 degrees C. No significant difference in lectin binding was found between oleate- and elaidate-enriched membranes at low temperatures where the former was in the liquid-crystalline state and the latter in the gel state, suggesting that membranes fluidity does not influence the binding of Con A and RCA to Acholeplasma laidlawii membranes.     

Binding of lectins to human leukaemic cells

The interactions of five different lectins: peanut (PNA), lentil (LEN), wheat germ (WGA), soybean (SBA), Asparagus pea (FBP) with leukaemic cells obtained from 31 children: 25 with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and 6 with acute myeloblastic leukaemia (AML) were examined in this study. The relationship of lectin-binding ability to cells cytomorphological, cytochemical and immunological features and its potential clinical application were investigated. It has been shown that PNA and LEN receptors were found in the majority of blast cells. The SBA reacting cells were found only in few patients and FBP binding was not found in studied ALL and AML cells. There was a clear difference in the WGA binding capacity in ALL cells with L1 and L2 characteristics respectively. No differences were found in PNA. WGA and LEN reactivity between PAS negative and PAS positive leukaemic cells. Only PNA of all studied lectins seemed to differentiate T- from B-ALL blast cells. Only WGA binding of ALL cells showed the positive correlation to the risk index value.     

Circular dichroism and 1H NMR studies of Co2+- and Ni2+-substituted concanavalin A and the lentil and pea lectins

Visible absorption, circular dichroism (CD) and magnetic circular dichroism spectra have been recorded for the Ca2+-Co2+ derivatives of the lentil (CCoLcH) and pea (CCoPSA) lectins (Co2+ at the S1 sites and Ca2+ at the S2 sites) and shown to be very similar for both proteins. The visible absorption and magnetic circular dichroism spectra indicate similar octahedral geometries for high spin Co2+ at S1 in both proteins, as found in the Ca2+-Co2+ complex of concanavalin A (CCoPL) (Richardson, C. E., and Behnke, W. D. (1976) J. Mol. Biol. 102, 441-451). The visible CD data, however, indicate differences in the environment around S1 of CCoLcH and CCoPSA compared to CCoPL. 1H NMR spectra at 90 MHz of the Co2+ and Ni2+ derivatives of the lectins show a number of isotropically shifted signals which arise from protons in the immediate vicinity of the S1 sites. Analysis of the spectra of the Co2+ derivatives in H2O and D2O has permitted resonance assignments of the side chain ring protons of the coordinated histidine at S1 in the lectins. Differences are observed in the H-D exchange rate of the histidine NH proton at S1 in concanavalin A compared to the lentil and pea lectins. NMR data of the Ni2+-substituted proteins, together with spectra of the Co2+ derivatives, also indicate that the side chains of a carboxylate ligand and of the histidine residue at S1 are positioned differently in concanavalin A than in the other two lectins. These results appear to account, in part, for the differences observed in the visible CD spectra of the Co2+-substituted proteins. In addition, binding of monosaccharides does not significantly perturb the spectra of the lectins. An unusual feature in the 1H NMR spectra of all three Co2+-substituted lectins is the presence of two exchangeable downfield shifted resonances which appear to be associated with the two protons of a slowly exchanging water molecule coordinated to the Ca2+ ion at S2. T1 measurements of CCoLcH have provided an estimation of the distances from the Co2+ ion to these two protons of 3.7 and 4.0 A.     

Mimicry of lentil and the domestication of common vetch and grass pea

A hypothesis is proposed whereby weedy vetch (Vicia sativa L.) seed moved with seed of the cultivated lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus) as a tolerated weed during the spread of the lentil from the Fertile Crescent in the Near East to its current distribution. As a result, selection occurred in vetch weeds for a reduction in dormancy/hard-seededness, increased competitive ability and biomass, and phenological adaptation to new environments⇆redisposing the weed for domestication. The cropping of common vetch for forage in pure culture followed. Archaeological evidence of admixtures of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) in Neolithic finds of lentil, pea (Pisum sativum L.) and bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia (L.) Wild.) suggests a similar process of selection in grass pea for a weedy habit from which domestication later occurred.     

Binding of N-acetylgalactosamine-specific lectins to spin-labeled galactosamine derivatives

Legume seed lectins specific for N-acetyl-alpha-D-galactosaminyl end groups from Amphicarpaea bracteata, lima bean, Griffonia simplicifolia, Dolichos biflorus, and soybean were compared with respect to binding of several spin-labeled derivatives of D-galactosamine by electron spin resonance and precipitin inhibition analysis. Spin-label II [methyl 2-[[(2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1-oxopyrrolidin-3-yl) carbonyl]amino]-2-deoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranoside], spin-label III [1-(methyl 2-deoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranosid-2-yl)-3-(2,2,6, 6-tetramethyl-1-oxypiperidin-4-yl)-2-thiourea], and spin-label IV [1-[4-[[(methyl 2-deoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranosid-2-yl)amino]carbonyl]phenyl]-3-(2, 2,6-tetramethyl-1-oxypiperidin-4-yl)-2-thiourea] contain 2-N-(oxypiperidinyl) or 2-N-(oxypyrrolidinyl) substituents varying in length and polarity of the linker arm between the glycoside and nitroxide ring. Spin-labels II and III were found to bind very weakly to all the lectins tested (Kd greater than or equal to 1.0 mM). Spin-label IV, containing a planar, nonpolar 2-N-phenyl group, was bound very strongly (Kd = 0.1-0.4 mM) and was moderately immobilized (2T parallel = 48-56 G) by all lectins except that from D. biflorus. Notably, the affinity of spin-label IV to lima bean lectin was 18-fold greater than that for methyl N-acetyl-alpha-galactosaminide. These results suggest that when the bulky oxypiperidinyl moiety lies in a position close to the sugar ring, it interferes with binding; in the cases where a phenyl group spacer exists, the aromatic ring in some cases actually enhances binding.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Nonprotein amino acids in edible lentil and garden pea seedlings

Summary. Commercial edible seedlings of garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) and lentil (Lens culinaris L.) contain high concentration of nonprotein amino acids and trigonelline. Both seedlings grown in the laboratory or purchased in a supermarket were studied by HPLC. Samples from both origins contained trigonelline, α-aminoadipic acid, homoserine, β-(isoxazolin-5-on-2-yl)-alanine (BIA), and γ-glutamyl-BIA. Garden pea seedlings also contained a uracil-alanine derivative (isowillardiine) in substantial amount. Some of these compounds such as BIA and α-aminoadipic acid have neurotoxic activity. Received December 17, 1999 Accepted February 15, 2000     

Synthesis of high-affinity, hydrophobic monosaccharide derivatives and study of their interaction with concanavalin A, the pea, the lentil, and fava bean lectins.

Concanavalin A (Con A) and agglutinins from the pea (PSA), lentil (LCH), and fava bean (VFA) constitute a group of D-mannose/D-glucose binding legume lectins. In addition to their sugar binding specificity, these lectins also contain sites that bind hydrophobic ligands. The present study explores a class of nonpolar binding sites reportedly present adjacent to the carbohydrate binding site in PSA, LCH, and VFA. A series of 2-O- and 3-O-substituted nitrobenzoyl and nitrobenzyl derivatives of methyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside and methyl alpha-D-mannopyranoside were synthesized. Evaluation of their binding to Con A, PSA, LCH, and VFA was carried out by the technique of hapten inhibition of precipitation reaction. The hapten inhibition assay results reveal that the presence of a methyl or methylene group at the O-2 or O-3 position of the sugar is essential for hydrophobic interaction with PSA, LCH, and VFA. The substitution of methyl by nitrobenzyl leads to enhanced binding (1.7-16.7 times for the 2-O-substituted compounds and 7.9-40.5 times for the 3-O-substituted compounds) with the m-nitrobenzyl group contributing to maximum binding. A hydrophobic interaction is also involved between Con A and 2-O-nitrobenzyl derivatives, resulting in enhanced binding, but the corresponding 3-O-isomers bind poorly due probably to steric reasons. These results may be rationalized on the basis of the recently published X-ray data of Con A and VFA. The nitrobenzyl derivatives, after transformation to their azido analogs, have potential applications in the photoaffinity labeling of these lectins.     

Probing the topography of lectins with site-specific spin-labeled glycosides

Three new spin-labeled glycosides, spin-label I [1-[4-(beta-D-galactopyranosyloxy)phenyl]-3-(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1 -oxypiperidin-4-yl)-2-thiourea], spin-label II (2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-oxypiperidin-4-yl alpha-D-galactopyranoside), and spin-label III [1-(methyl 2-deoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranosid-2-yl)-3-(2,2,6,6- tetramethyl-1-oxypiperidin-4-yl)-2-thiourea], were investigated as structural probes of Griffonia simplicifolia I isolectins (GS I) A4 and B4, respectively, by electron spin resonance (ESR) and inhibition of guaran isolectin precipitation. The p-aminophenyl beta-galactoside spin-label I was strongly immobilized by the B4 isolectin (Kd = 0.42 mM; 2T parallel = 54.0 +/- 0.3 G), while binding to the A4 isolectin was so weak (KI congruent to 2 mM) that binding was undetectable by ESR. The preference for the B4 isolectin was indicative of a more extended hydrophobic binding locus adjacent to the carbohydrate-specific binding site. The alpha-galactosyl spin-label II bound slightly more strongly to the A4 than to the B4 isolectin, as evidenced in both Kd values and particularly by differences in the degree of immobilization (2T parallel = 53.5 vs. 51.5 G, respectively). The 2-N-substituted methyl galactoside spin-label III was so poor an inhibitor of both isolectins (KI congruent to 1-2 mM) that ESR detection of the bound complex was not feasible. In all cases above, the spin-labels were displaced by specific monosaccharide haptens.     

Toxicity of lectins and processing of ingested proteins in the pea aphidAcyrthosiphon pisum

Acute toxicity of thirty lectins was tested against the pea aphidAcyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) (Homoptera, Aphididae: Macrosiphini). Activity was measured on artificial diets containing moderate concentrations of lectins (10–250 μg/ml) by scoring mortality and growth inhibition over the whole nymphal period (7 days at 20°C). Most of the proteins tested exhibited low toxicity, but some induced significant mortality; these included the lectins from jackbean (Concanavalin A), amaranth, lentil and snowdrop. There was no direct correlation between toxicity and sugar specificity of the lectin; however, many mannose-binding lectins were toxic towardsA. pisum. Concanavalin A was also tested on five other aphid species (Aphis gossypii, Aulacortum solani, Macrosiphum euphorbiae, Macrosiphum albifrons andMyzus persicae) at concentrations between 10–1500 μg/ml. Mortality was very variable from one species to another. Strong growth inhibition invariably occurred within this concentration range, although dose-response curves differed substantially between aphid species. The peptidase complement ofA. pisum’s digestive tract was also investigated, as well as the oral toxicity of some protease inhibitors (PIs) to this aphid. Most protein PIs were inactive, and no part of the digestive tract contained detectable amounts of endo-protease activity. This is in contrast to the strong amino-peptidase activity which was shown to occur predominantly in the midgut and crop portions of the digestive tract. The potential of lectins in transgenic crops to confer Host-Plant Resistance to aphids is discussed.     

Binding of para-substituted phenyl glycosides to concanavalin A

The binding of para-substituted phenyl glycopyranosides of α-D-glucose, β-D-glucose, and α-D-mannose by concanavalin A has been related to the electronic and hydrophobic nature of the substituents by multiparameter regression analysis. Hydrophobicity is an important factor for the binding of the β-D-glucosides, especially in the p-alkyl series; a smaller but mutually comparable dependence on hydrophobicity is noted for each of the p-halogeno, p-alkoxy, and p-acyl substituent series. In the last two series, an additional substituent interaction with the protein might occur. The more tightly bound α-D-mannosides and α-D-glucosides show a constant binding ratio for all p-phenyl substituents. Here, hydrophobic contributions are negligible when compares with electronic effects. Hammett relations (p?= 0.5) are valid for α-D-glucosides and α-D-mannosides, and can be improved by considering inductive and mesomeric contributions of the substituents. These observations are compatible with crystallographic data at a resolution of 2 Å. Their relevance for the α-D-anomeric specificity, governed by a protein electrophile, is discussed.     

Binding of fluorescent lectins to the surface of germ cells from fetal and early postnatal mouse gonads

Fluorescent lectins were used to study the chemical nature of carbohydrate moieties present on the surface of female and male germ cells isolated from mouse gonads during fetal and early posnatal development. Concanavalin A (ConA), lens culinaris agglutinin (LCA), ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA_I) and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) bound intensely to the germ cell plasma membrane at all stages studied. Other lectins such as ulex europaeus agglutinin (UEA_I) and agglutinin (SBA) did not bind or bound moderately (SBA to female germ cells only). Distinct developmental-related changes were observed when female germ cells were labeled with fluorescein-conjugated peanut agglutinin (PNA) or dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA). DBA and PNA binding was absent or weak in fetal female and male germ cells, but became intensely positive in oocytes in the immediate postnatal period. The percentage of oocytes stained with DBA increased during the first three days after birth, and from day 3–4 onwards all oocytes were strongly labeled. I suggest that these changes in lectin binding reflect changes in biochemical structure of the oocyte surface related to differentiative events occurring in the mouse ovary immediately after birth.     

Binding interactions of glycoproteins with lectins

Summary Since plant lectins were used to help define differences between normal and transformed cell surfaces (reviewed in References^1–4), they have been employed in many other situations where their sugar-recognition specificities could be used to advantage. One of these applications has been the purification and characterization of enzymes and other proteins; this work is reviewed here in order to define some of the variables that affect binding of glycoproteins to lectins, as well as to demonstrate how this technique has been profitably exploited for isolation of purified glycoproteins, and for their better understanding.Abbreviations ConA concanavalin A - WGA wheat germ agglutinin - RCA₆₀ (RCA_II, mol. wt. 60,000) and RCA₁₂₀ (RCA, mol. wt. 120,000) Ricinus communis agglutinin - LCA Lens culinaris agglutinin - LTA Lotos tetragonolobus agglutinin - SBA soybean agglutinin - PNA peanut agglutinin - Me--Glc methyl--glucoside - Me--Man methyl--mannoside - Gal galactose - GlcNac N-acetylglucosamine