Lectin binding saccharides on a parasitic protozoan.

Leishmania donovani promastigotes were specifically agglutinated by concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin P. Somatic-somatic, flagellar-somatic, and flagellar-flagellar type agglutination was observed with the lectins. Enzyme-treated promastigotes gave reduced lectin agglutination reactions. The results suggest that complex saccharide moieties are randomly distributed on the surface of this organism.