Lens culinaris lectin 10 mg

(LCA / LcH). Lyophilised powder.

Lens culinaris lectin or agglutinin (LCA) is isolated from Lens culinaris (lentil) seeds and purified by affinity chromatography. The lectin has two subunits and a molecular weight of 46 kDa and it forms a complex together with sucrose. Lectins are, due to their specific binding to carbohydrate struc- tures on the cell surface or elsewhere useful in haematology, immunology or as specific markers for membrane glycoprotein structures. LCA’s carbohydrate specificity is D-mannose and D-glucose and the two isomers LCA-A and LCA-B agglutinates human red blood cells, although this reaction is not blood group specific. LCA is also a useful component in affinity chroma- tography columns for the separation of glycoconjugates. Adding 60mM methylmannoside yields an inhibition with a lectin titer that is at least 16-fold weaker than the control. Addition of Mn2+ and Ca2+ to the reconstitution buffer will enhance hemagglutination activity.