Partial characterization of hemagglutinin activity of the marine sponge Anthosigmella varians

The marine sponge Anthosigmella varians contains proteins that agglutinate human erythrocytes irrespective of their ABO group antigens. The hemagglutination reaction depends on divalent cations andf is not inhibited by L-arabinose, D-xylose, L-rhamnose, D-galactose, D-glucose, L and D-fucose, N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, methyl-alpha-Dmannopiranoside, D-cellobiose, lactose, maltose, melibiose nor raffinose (33 mM each). A partial purification of the hemagglutinins with 31-fold ioncrease in SA and 80% recovery of activity was obtained after gel filtration and ion-exchange gradient elution chromatography. Hemadsorption experiments carried our with out with the semipurified fraction using glutaraldehyde-fixed human erythrocytes suggest that protein with molecular weight of 90 and 34 kDa participate in this rection

Isolation of a lectin from the marine sponge Desmapsama anchorata by affinity chromatography on raffinose-sepharose 6B

A mitogenic lectin for human lymphocytes is present in the marine sponge Desmapsama anchorata. The protein hemagglutinates red blood cells irrespective of ABO group antigens. We now report the isolation of this lectin, by affinity chromatography on a column of raffinose conjugated to epoxy-activated Sepharose 6B, in 8.3% yield and with a purification index of 27 based on hemagglutinating activity. The isolated lectin is a glycoprotein with two subunits with molecular weights of about 18 and 36 kDa which display carbohydrate combining sites of similar specificities and can be associated in different forms

Isolation and funectional characterization of a mitogenic lection from the marine sponge Cinachyrella alloclada

1. A D-galactose-specific lectin was isolated from crude extracts of the marine sponge Cinachyrella alloclada by affinity chromatography on sepharose 4B. 2. The lectin agglutinated human erythrocytes irrespective of ther ABO group antigens. 3. Hemagglutination inhibition tests indicated that the lectin binds D-galactose or carbohydrates having a terminal nonreducing D-galactosyl group. 4. C. alloclada lectin was mitogenic for human periheral blood lymphocytes when AB serum was omitted during the first 24 h of culture. 5 Human serum apparently contains substances which bind or inactivate this lectin