Isolectins in Narcissus: complexity, inter- and intraspecies differences and developmental control

Using high resolution ion-exchange chromatography and isoelectric focusing the heterogeneity of the daffodil ( Narcissus sp.) lectin in terms of isolectin composition was analyzed. A survey of about 30 cultivars and species of Narcissus demonstrates (i) that they all contain over 50 different lectin polypeptides and (ii) that there are pronounced inter- and intraspecies differences in the isolectin patterns. Analyses of lectin preparations isolated from different tissues at different developmental stages further indicate that the isolectin composition is tissue specific and developmentally regulated. Finally, affinity chromatography experiments suggest differences in affinity for a mannose-Sepharose 4B column of different isolectins.