The carbohydrate-binding sequences in lectins of the clovers trifolium repens, T. pratense, and T. trichocephalum

The carbohydrate-binding sequences (CBS) in the lectin genes of Trijilium repens, T. pratense, and T. tri-chocephalum were sequenced. The gene regions encoding lectin CBS of T. pratense and T. repens displayed a considerable similarity; however, the CBS of these species differed essentially. Moreover, T. repens formed a compact cluster with Melilotus albus and M. officinalis in the phylogenetic trees constructed according to the nucleotide sequences and the corresponding CBS of legume lectins. T. trichocephalum does not fall into the group of the tribe Trifolieae members according to both the amino acid sequence of lectin carbohydrate-binding region and the nucleotide sequence of lectin gene.