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Canatoxin-, concanavalin A- and canavalin-cross-reactive materials during maturation of Canavalia brasiliensis (Mart.) seeds

Abstract

The distribution of three cross-reactive materials (CRMs), a toxic protein analogous to canatoxin, CNTX-CRM, a lectin analogous to concanavalin A, Con A-CRM, and a major storage protein, canavalin-CRM, was investigated during successive stages of maturation of Canavalia brasiliensis Mart. seeds. The data obtained by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunological analyses indicated that these proteins share extensive homology with the analogous proteins found in Canavalia ensiformis seeds. The changes in CNTX-CRM and Con A-CRM levels throughout the maturation process were assayed by rocket immunoelectrophoresis. Synthesis of Con A-CRM was detectable at 30 days post-anthesis (DPA) while its hemagglutinating activity appeared only at 35 DPA. The CNTX-CRM was detected as a biologically active protein from 30 DPA onwards. The behavior of CNTX-CRM during maturation of C. brasiliensis seeds was quite distinct from that of Con A-CRM, pointing to different biological roles of these proteins in the seed.

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Abbreviations

CNTX:

canatoxin

Con A:

concanavalin A

CRM:

cross-reactive material

DPA:

days post-anthesis

ev :

endovenous

RIE:

rocket immunoelectrophoresis

SDS-PAGE:

polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium docecyl sulphate

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This work was supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnológico; Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior; Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro; Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos; Fundação Banco do Brasil, Brazil, and International Foundation for Science, Sweden. G.B. and C.R.C. are gratefull to Ms. Dione Maria da Silva and Francisco Gomes Neto for their technical assistance.

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Barcellos, G.B.S., Almeida, L.M., Moreira, R.A. et al. Canatoxin-, concanavalin A- and canavalin-cross-reactive materials during maturation of Canavalia brasiliensis (Mart.) seeds. Planta 189, 397–402 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00194437

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00194437

Key words

  • Canatoxin
  • Canavalia
  • Concanavalin A
  • Canavalin
  • Seed maturation