Specificity analysis of the C-type lectin from rattlesnake venom, and its selectivity towards Gal- or GalNAc-terminated glycoproteins

Glycoconj J. 2011 Aug;28(6):427-35. doi: 10.1007/s10719-011-9342-5. Epub 2011 Jul 30.

Abstract

The rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) venom lectin is a readily-prepared decameric C-type lectin, specific for Gal and GalNAc. Glycan microarray analysis showed it reacted with a wide range of glycans, chiefly recognizing sets of compounds with Galβ1-4GlcNAc (LacNAc), α-Gal or α-GalNAc non-reducing termini. Its array profile was therefore distinctly different from those of four previously studied mammalian C-type lectins with the same Gal/GalNAc monosaccharide specificity, and it was more broadly reactive than several Gal- or GalNAc-specific plant lectins commonly used for glycan blotting. Though a general reactivity towards glycoproteins might be expected from the avidity conferred by its high valence, it showed a marked preference for glycoproteins with multiple glycans, terminated by Gal or GalNAc. Thus its ten closely-spaced sites each with a K(D) for GalNAc of ~2 mM appeared to make RSVL more selective than the four more widely-spaced sites of soybean agglutinin, with a ten-fold better K(D) for GalNAc.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Crotalid Venoms / chemistry*
  • Crotalus
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Galectins / chemistry
  • Galectins / metabolism*
  • Glycoproteins / chemistry
  • Glycoproteins / metabolism*
  • Lectins, C-Type / chemistry
  • Lectins, C-Type / metabolism*
  • Microarray Analysis
  • Models, Molecular
  • Protein Binding

Substances

  • Crotalid Venoms
  • Galectins
  • Glycoproteins
  • Lectins, C-Type