A novel lectin from Pseudostellaria heterophylla roots with sequence simularity to Kunitz-type soybean trypsin inhibitor.

From the roots of the Chinese medicinal herb Pseudostellaria heterophylla a single-chained lectin with a molecular weight of 36 kDa and high hemagglutinating activity was isolated. The lectin was adsorbed on DEAE-cellulose in 10 mM Tris-HCI buffer (pH 7.4) and was eluted by the same buffer containing 50 mM NaCl. It was adsorbed on SP-Sepharose in 10mM NH4OAc (pH 4.5) and eluted by approximately 0.5 M NaCl in the same buffer. The hemagglutinating activity of the lectin could not be inhibited by a large variety of monosaccharides, but was largely abrogated by exposure to 0.05 M HCl, 0.05M NaOH or 80 degrees C. However, about 50% of the activity remained after exposure to 0.025M NaOH or 40 degrees C. Despite possession of an N-terminal sequence exhibiting some similarity to thaumatin-like proteins with antifungal activity, the lectin was devoid of antifungal activity. The lectin exerted some inhibitory effect on the glycohydrolases alpha-glucosidase, beta-glucosidase and beta-glucuronidase which are involved in HIV infection but had no suppressive action on human immunodeficiency virus-type 1 reverse transcriptase.