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Cloning and characterization of the lectin cDNA clones from onion, shallot and leek

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Abstract

Characterization of the lectins from onion (Allium cepa), shallot (A. ascalonicum) and leek (A. porrum) has shown that these lectins differ from previously isolated Alliaceae lectins not only in their molecular structure but also in their ability to inhibit retrovirus infection of target cells.

cDNA libraries constructed from poly(A)-rich RNA isolated from young shoots of onion, shallot and leek were screened for lectin cDNA clones using colony hybridization. Sequence analysis of the lectin cDNA clones from these three species revealed a high degree of sequence similarity both at the nucleotide and at the amino acid level.

Apparently the onion, shallot and leek lectins are translated from mRNAs of ca. 800 nucleotides. The primary translation products are preproproteins (ca. 19 kDa) which are converted into the mature lectin polypeptides (12.5–13 kDa) after post-translational modifications.

Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA has shown that the lectins are most probably encoded by a family of closely related genes which is in good agreement with the sequence heterogeneity found between different lectin cDNA clones of one species.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Phytopathology and Plant Protection, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3000, Leuven

    Els J. M. Van Damme, Koen Smeets, Iris Engelborghs, Helen Aelbers & Willy J. Peumans

  2. Laboratory of Experimental Chemotherapy, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium

    Jan Balzarini

  3. The Rowette Research Institute, Aberdeen, UK

    Arpad Pusztai

  4. Center for Human Genetics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium

    Fred van Leuven

  5. Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Irwin J. Goldstein

Authors
  1. Els J. M. Van Damme
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  2. Koen Smeets
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  3. Iris Engelborghs
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  4. Helen Aelbers
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  5. Jan Balzarini
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  7. Fred van Leuven
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  8. Irwin J. Goldstein
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  9. Willy J. Peumans
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Van Damme, E.J.M., Smeets, K., Engelborghs, I. et al. Cloning and characterization of the lectin cDNA clones from onion, shallot and leek. Plant Mol Biol 23, 365–376 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00029011

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00029011

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