Evidence for the existence of an intracellular root-lectin in soybeans.

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) root lectin, identified as extractable agglutination activity, was shown to reappear following 15-h incubations of roots that had previously been stripped of all extractable lectin activity. Additional lectin activity was released following disruption of the root tissues and cellular fractionation. These lectin activities were shown to have binding specificity an antibody cross-ractivity similar to soybean seed and root lectins previously described. Thus, it is possible that this intracellular lectin represents the source of extracellular root lectins.