Changing complexity of endogenous lectin activities during juvenile development of Xenopus laevis.

Galactoside-binding lectin has been isolated from whole Xenopus laevis embryos and tadpoles at four development stages: st. 24-26, 32, 41 and 47. The main lectin activity at st. 24-26 is β-galactoside specific, producing a 34/35.5K doublet on SDS-PAGE. Later in development, lectin activities specific for a wide range of other sugars appear concommitant with the detection of a number of new protein bands on SDS-PAGE gels. The greatest variety of new lectin activities exists at st. 32 when lectins specific for all of the main sugar families found in nature are detected. After this stage and up to st. 47 (the beginning of metamorphosis), fewer different lectin activities are again detected. The results suggest that a complex, developmentally regulated battery of different lectins are present during early Xenopus development, perhaps with stage-specific roles to play in the control of tissue morphogenesis.