RESUMO
The biomolecular recognition of D-mannose-binding lectin from Artocarpus heterophyllus (ArtinM) by Horseradish Peroxidase (HRP) mediated by glycosylation allows their application in a multitude of biological systems. The present work describes the use of molecular dynamics (MD) to assess the Gibbs free energy associated with the formation of a ArtinM-HRP conjugate mediated by a glycosylation molecule. For the enthalpy term, we applied the molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area (MM-PBSA) method and for the vibrational entropy term, we use the quasi-harmonic approximation. Our results show that, even without glycosylation, the binding free energy between ArtinM and HRP is - 196.154 kJmol- 1, an extremely high affinity with low selectivity, originated mainly through the van der Waals energy terms. The binding free energy between ArtinM and the glycosylated HRP (gHRP) was calculated at - 66.156 kJmol- 1, an absolute and considerably lower value, however, originated from electrostatic energy terms, which increases the selectivity of molecular recognition. Our work has shown that the HRP active site region has a high affinity and low selectivity for other biomolecules. The presence of glycosylation plays a role in increasing this selectivity for this region. Thus, we conclude that performing mutagenesis of amino acid residues near the entrance of the catalytic site, can improve the activity of non-glycosylated HRPs. This illustrates new insights that can be applied to carbohydrate-based immunochemistry.
Assuntos
Artocarpus/metabolismo , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/metabolismo , Simulação de Dinâmica Molecular , Glicosilação , Peroxidase do Rábano Silvestre/química , Peroxidase do Rábano Silvestre/metabolismo , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/química , Lectinas de Plantas , TermodinâmicaRESUMO
Free-living amoebae (FLAs) are major reservoirs for a variety of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. The most studied mycophagic FLA, Acanthamoeba castellanii (Ac), is a potential environmental host for endemic fungal pathogens such as Cryptococcus spp., Histoplasma capsulatum, Blastomyces dermatitides, and Sporothrix schenckii. However, the mechanisms involved in this interaction are poorly understood. The aim of this work was to characterize the molecular instances that enable Ac to interact with and ingest fungal pathogens, a process that could lead to selection and maintenance of possible virulence factors. The interaction of Ac with a variety of fungal pathogens was analysed in a multifactorial evaluation that included the role of multiplicity of infection over time. Fungal binding to Ac surface by living image consisted of a quick process, and fungal initial extrusion (vomocytosis) was detected from 15 to 80 min depending on the organism. When these fungi were cocultured with the amoeba, only Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans were able to grow, whereas Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and Sporothrix brasiliensis displayed unchanged viability. Yeasts of H. capsulatum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were rapidly killed by Ac; however, some cells remained viable after 48 hr. To evaluate changes in fungal virulence upon cocultivation with Ac, recovered yeasts were used to infect Galleria mellonella, and in all instances, they killed the larvae faster than control yeasts. Surface biotinylated extracts of Ac exhibited intense fungal binding by FACS and fluorescence microscopy. Binding was also intense to mannose, and mass spectrometry identified Ac proteins with affinity to fungal surfaces including two putative transmembrane mannose-binding proteins (MBP, L8WXW7 and MBP1, Q6J288). Consistent with interactions with such mannose-binding proteins, Ac-fungi interactions were inhibited by mannose. These MBPs may be involved in fungal recognition by amoeba and promotes interactions that allow the emergence and maintenance of fungal virulence for animals.
Assuntos
Acanthamoeba castellanii/metabolismo , Fungos/patogenicidade , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/metabolismo , Acanthamoeba castellanii/química , Acanthamoeba castellanii/microbiologia , Acanthamoeba castellanii/ultraestrutura , Animais , Candida albicans/patogenicidade , Candida albicans/ultraestrutura , Concanavalina A/metabolismo , Cryptococcus neoformans/patogenicidade , Cryptococcus neoformans/ultraestrutura , Histoplasma/patogenicidade , Histoplasma/ultraestrutura , Interações Hospedeiro-Patógeno , Larva/microbiologia , Lepidópteros/microbiologia , Manose/química , Manose/metabolismo , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/química , Espectrometria de Massas , Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura , Paracoccidioides/patogenicidade , Paracoccidioides/ultraestrutura , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/patogenicidade , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/ultraestrutura , Fatores de Tempo , Imagem com Lapso de Tempo , Virulência , Fatores de Virulência/metabolismoRESUMO
Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Genetic factors associated with immune response contribute to infection development and disease. M. leprae has the capacity to invade Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system and cause neuropathy. However, while the responsible molecular mechanisms remain to be fully unveiled, they have begun being elucidated. We studied genetic variants Myelin Protein Zero (MPZ), a major structural component of the myelin sheath, and Mannose Binding Lectin 2 (MBL2), a protein involved in immune response, in 112 family groups of 114 leprosy patients using PCR-RFLP, aiming to calculate the association and allelic transmission of variants associated in first, second and third-degree relatives. Polymorphisms found in MPZ and MBL2 showed association with leprosy. Different probabilities for allelic transmission were found for first and second-degree relatives, a fact that is important to take into account when evaluating risk in contacts of leprosy patients. Structural analysis allows the study of putative amino acids and their possible effect on protein structure and function, as well as on the assembly of a protein homotetramer. Our results suggest that the identified MPZ and MBL2 gene mutations are associated with leprosy in a Colombian population, which correlates with MPZ and MBL2 protein function, and increase the risk of M. leprae infection in leprosy-patients' family members. Additionally, structural analyses were carried out specifically for MPZ protein using information available in databases, and analyzing the substitutions in wildtype and mutant protein. The results show significant structural changes, which may be associated to infection and pathogenicity.
Assuntos
Hanseníase , Lectina de Ligação a Manose , Proteína P0 da Mielina , Adulto , Colômbia , Feminino , Humanos , Hanseníase/genética , Hanseníase/imunologia , Masculino , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/química , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/genética , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/imunologia , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Modelos Moleculares , Proteína P0 da Mielina/química , Proteína P0 da Mielina/genética , Proteína P0 da Mielina/imunologia , Polimorfismo de Nucleotídeo Único/genéticaRESUMO
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections continue to exert an enormous impact on global human health. This led experts to emphasize the importance of new measures for preventing HIV infections, including the development of vaccines and novel drugs. In this context, a promising approach involves the use of lectins that can bind the surface envelope glycoprotein gp120 of HIV with high affinity, preventing viral entry. The cyanobacterial lectin microvirin (MVN) has been proposed as a candidate for development as a topical microbicide because of its ability to bind to high mannose-type glycans, potently inhibiting HIV-1 entry. Thus, the aim of this computational study was to investigate the effects of four point mutations (D53Q, D53E, D53K, and D53W) on the structure and affinity of MVN with di-mannose (MAN). Molecular dynamics simulations followed by binding free energy calculations using MM-GBSA were employed. The calculated binding free energy of ligand-receptor complexation of MVN with MAN was -26.02 kcal mol-1. We identified in the wild-type protein that residues I45, T59, and Q81 have a major contribution to the binding free energy of di-mannose. Among the investigated mutants, the most promising one was the D53W mutation, with a theoretical binding free energy value of -29.16 kcal mol-1. We suggest that this increased stability is due to the introduction of extra rigidity on the hinge region connecting two key structural elements of the MVN binding site.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Bactérias/química , Cianobactérias/química , Proteína gp120 do Envelope de HIV/química , HIV-1/química , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/química , Simulação de Dinâmica Molecular , Mutação Puntual , Substituição de Aminoácidos , Proteínas de Bactérias/genética , Sítios de Ligação , Proteína gp120 do Envelope de HIV/genética , HIV-1/genética , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/genética , Simulação de Acoplamento MolecularRESUMO
A glycosylated lectin (CTL) with specificity for mannose and glucose has been detected and purified from seeds of Centrolobium tomentosum, a legume plant from Dalbergieae tribe. It was isolated by mannose-sepharose affinity chromatography. The primary structure was determined by tandem mass spectrometry and consists of 245 amino acids, similar to other Dalbergieae lectins. CTL structures were solved from two crystal forms, a monoclinic and a tetragonal, diffracted at 2.25 and 1.9 Å, respectively. The carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD), metal-binding site and glycosylation site were characterized, and the structural basis for mannose/glucose-binding was elucidated. The lectin adopts the canonical dimeric organization of legume lectins. CTL showed acute inflammatory effect in paw edema model. The protein was subjected to ligand screening (dimannosides and trimannoside) by molecular docking, and interactions were compared with similar lectins possessing the same ligand specificity. This is the first crystal structure of mannose/glucose native seed lectin with proinflammatory activity isolated from the Centrolobium genus.
Assuntos
Edema/induzido quimicamente , Fabaceae/química , Lectina de Ligação a Manose , Simulação de Acoplamento Molecular , Lectinas de Plantas , Sementes/química , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Animais , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Edema/patologia , Feminino , Glicosilação , Inflamação/induzido quimicamente , Inflamação/patologia , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/química , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/toxicidade , Espectrometria de Massas , Lectinas de Plantas/química , Lectinas de Plantas/toxicidade , Pegadas de Proteínas , Ratos , Ratos Wistar , Relação Estrutura-AtividadeRESUMO
ArtinM is a D-mannose-binding lectin extracted from the seeds of Artocarpus heterophyllus that interacts with TLR2 N-glycans and activates antigen-presenting cells (APCs), as manifested by IL-12 production. In vivo ArtinM administration induces Th1 immunity and confers protection against infection with several intracellular pathogens. In the murine model of Candida albicans infection, it was verified that, in addition to Th1, ArtinM induces Th17 immunity manifested by high IL-17 levels in the treated animals. Herein, we investigated the mechanisms accounting for the ArtinM-induced IL-17 production. We found that ArtinM stimulates the IL-17 production by spleen cells in BALB/c or C57BL/6 mice, a response that was significantly reduced in the absence of IL-23, MyD88, or IL-1R. Furthermore, we showed that ArtinM directly induced the IL-23 mRNA expression and the IL-1 production by macrophages. Consistently, in cell suspensions depleted of macrophages, the IL-17 production stimulated by ArtinM was reduced by 53% and the exogenous IL-23 acted synergistically with ArtinM in promoting IL-17 production by spleen cell suspensions. We verified that the absence of IL-23, IL-1R, or MyD88 inhibited, but did not block, the IL-17 production by ArtinM-stimulated spleen cells. Therefore, we investigated whether ArtinM exerts a direct effect on CD4+ T cells in promoting IL-17 production. Indeed, spleen cell suspensions depleted of CD4+ T cells responded to ArtinM with very low levels of IL-17 release. Likewise, isolated CD4+ T cells under ArtinM stimulus augmented the expression of TGF-ß mRNA and released high levels of IL-17. Considering the observed synergism between IL-23 and ArtinM, we used cells from IL-23 KO mice to assess the direct effect of lectin on CD4+ T cells. We verified that ArtinM increased the IL-17 production significantly, a response that was inhibited when the CD4+ T cells were pre-incubated with anti-CD3 antibody. In conclusion, ArtinM stimulates the production of IL-17 by CD4+ T cells in two major ways: (I) through the induction of IL-23 and IL-1 by APCs and (II) through the direct interaction with CD3 on the CD4+ T cells. This study contributes to elucidation of mechanisms accounting for the property of ArtinM in inducing Th17 immunity and opens new perspectives in designing strategies for modulating immunity by using carbohydrate recognition agents.
Assuntos
Artocarpus/química , Complexo CD3/imunologia , Interleucina-17/imunologia , Interleucina-1/imunologia , Interleucina-23/imunologia , Lectina de Ligação a Manose , Lectinas de Plantas , Células Th17/imunologia , Animais , Complexo CD3/genética , Candida albicans/imunologia , Candidíase/tratamento farmacológico , Candidíase/genética , Candidíase/imunologia , Interleucina-1/genética , Interleucina-17/genética , Interleucina-23/genética , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/química , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/farmacologia , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Camundongos Knockout , Fator 88 de Diferenciação Mieloide/genética , Fator 88 de Diferenciação Mieloide/imunologia , Lectinas de Plantas/química , Lectinas de Plantas/farmacologia , Receptores de Interleucina-1/genética , Receptores de Interleucina-1/imunologia , Células Th1/imunologiaRESUMO
Lectins are proteins able to recognize carbohydrates, without modifying their structure, via the carbohydrate-recognition domain (CRD). Here, the three-dimensional structure of the mannose-binding lectin isolated from Cymbosema roseum (CRLI) was determined with X-man molecule modeled into the carbohydrate recognition domain. CRLI relaxant activity in thoracic rat aorta was also investigated, and based on the results, a molecular docking of CRLI with heparan sulfate was performed to investigate the possible interaction with mechanoreceptors involved in vasorelaxation. CRLI (IC50=12.4 µg mL(-)(1)) elicited vasorelaxant response (96%) in endothelialized rat aorta contracted with phenylephrine. Endothelium-derived relaxant factors, extracellular calcium (Ca(2+)e) and muscarinic receptors were also evaluated as putative participants in the CRLI relaxant effect. CRLI relaxant effect was blocked by L-NAME, a nonselective inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and partially inhibited in a calcium-free solution (0Ca) and by atropine, but it remained unchanged in the presence of indomethacin and TEA. In summary, our data suggest interaction between CRLI and muscarinic receptors located in vascular endothelial cells leading to NOS activation triggered by a mechanism that involves Ca(2+)e along with the ability of CRLI to interact with heparan sulfate, a highly rated mechanoreceptor involved in eNOS activation.
Assuntos
Fabaceae/química , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/farmacologia , Relaxamento Muscular/efeitos dos fármacos , Músculo Liso Vascular/enzimologia , Óxido Nítrico Sintase Tipo III/metabolismo , Proteínas de Plantas/farmacologia , Receptores Muscarínicos/metabolismo , Animais , Anti-Inflamatórios não Esteroides/farmacologia , Ativação Enzimática/efeitos dos fármacos , Inibidores Enzimáticos/farmacologia , Humanos , Indometacina/farmacologia , Masculino , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/química , Músculo Liso Vascular/citologia , NG-Nitroarginina Metil Éster/farmacologia , Óxido Nítrico/biossíntese , Óxido Nítrico Sintase Tipo III/antagonistas & inibidores , Proteínas de Plantas/química , Ratos , Ratos WistarRESUMO
The mannan-binding lectin gene (MBL) participates as an opsonin in the innate immune system of mammals, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in MBL cause various immune dysfunctions. In this study, we detected SNPs in MBL2 at exon 1 using polymerase chain reaction single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis and DNA sequencing techniques in 825 Chinese Holstein cows. Four new SNPs with various allele frequencies were also found. The g.1164 G>A SNP was predicted to substitute arginine with glutamine at the N-terminus of the cysteine-rich domain. In the collagen-like domain, SNPs g.1197 C>A and g.1198 G>A changed proline to glutamine, whereas SNP g.1207 T>C was identified as a synonymous mutation. Correlation analysis showed that the g.1197 C>A marker was significantly correlated to somatic cell score (SCS), and the g.1164 G>A locus had significant effects on SCS, fat content, and protein content (P < 0.05), suggesting possible roles of these SNPs in the host response against mastitis. Nine haplotypes and nine haplotype pairs corresponding to the loci of the 4 novel SNPs were found in Chinese Holsteins. Haplotype pairs MM, MN, and BQ were correlated with the lowest SCS; MN with the highest protein yield; MM with the highest protein rate, and MN with the highest 305- day milk yield. Thus, MM, MN, and BQ are possible candidates for marker-assisted selection in dairy cattle breeding programs.
Assuntos
Bovinos/genética , Estudos de Associação Genética , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/genética , Leite/metabolismo , Polimorfismo de Nucleotídeo Único/genética , Característica Quantitativa Herdável , Alelos , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Animais , Sequência de Bases , China , Éxons/genética , Frequência do Gene/genética , Haplótipos/genética , Heterozigoto , Análise dos Mínimos Quadrados , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/química , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Polimorfismo Conformacional de Fita Simples/genética , Análise de Sequência de DNA , Coloração pela PrataRESUMO
ArtinM is a D-mannose binding lectin that has been arousing increasing interest because of its biomedical properties, especially those involving the stimulation of Th1 immune response, which confers protection against intracellular pathogens. The potential pharmaceutical applications of ArtinM have motivated the production of its recombinant form (rArtinM) so that it is important to compare the sugar-binding properties of jArtinM and rArtinM in order to take better advantage of the potential applications of the recombinant lectin. In this work, a biosensor framework based on a Quartz Crystal Microbalance was established with the purpose of making a comparative study of the activity of native and recombinant ArtinM protein. The QCM transducer was strategically functionalized to use a simple model of protein binding kinetics. This approach allowed for the determination of the binding/dissociation kinetics rate and affinity equilibrium constant of both forms of ArtinM with horseradish peroxidase glycoprotein (HRP), a N-glycosylated protein that contains the trimannoside Manα1-3[Manα1-6]Man, which is a known ligand for jArtinM (Jeyaprakash et al., 2004). Monitoring of the real-time binding of rArtinM shows that it was able to bind HRP, leading to an analytical curve similar to that of jArtinM, with statistically equivalent kinetic rates and affinity equilibrium constants for both forms of ArtinM. The lower reactivity of rArtinM with HRP than jArtinM was considered to be due to a difference in the number of Carbohydrate Recognition Domains (CRDs) per molecule of each lectin form rather than to a difference in the energy of binding per CRD of each lectin form.
Assuntos
Técnicas Biossensoriais/instrumentação , Glicoproteínas/química , Peroxidase do Rábano Silvestre/química , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/química , Sistemas Microeletromecânicos/instrumentação , Mapeamento de Interação de Proteínas/instrumentação , Sistemas Computacionais , Desenho de Equipamento , Análise de Falha de Equipamento , CinéticaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The D-mannose binding lectin ArtinM is known to recruit neutrophils, to degranulate mast cells and may have potential therapeutic applications. However, the effect of ArtinM on mast cell recruitment has not been investigated. METHODOLOGY: Male Wistar rats were injected i.p. with ArtinM or ConA (control). The ability of the lectin to degranulate peritoneal and mesenteric mast cells was examined. Recruitment of mast cells to the peritoneal cavity and mesentery after ArtinM injection was examined with or without depletion of peritoneal mast cells by distilled water. RESULTS: ArtinM degranulated both peritoneal and mesentery mast cells in vitro. Three days after i.p. injection of the lectin there were reduced numbers of mast cells in the peritoneal lavage, while at 7 days post injection of ArtinM, the number of peritoneal mast cells was close to control values. Since immature mast cells are recruited from the bone marrow, the effect of the lectin on bone marrow mast cells was examined. Injection of ArtinM resulted in an increased number of mast cells in the bone marrow. To determine if degranulation of mast cells in the peritoneal cavity was required for the increase in bone marrow mast cells, the peritoneal cavity was depleted of mast cells with ultrapure water. Exposure to ArtinM increased the number of mast cells in the bone marrow of rats depleted of peritoneal mast cells. CONCLUSIONS: The ArtinM induced recruitment of mast cells from the bone marrow to the peritoneal cavity may partially explain the therapeutic actions of ArtinM.
Assuntos
Células da Medula Óssea/citologia , Lectinas/química , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/química , Mastócitos/citologia , Neutrófilos/metabolismo , Cavidade Peritoneal , Animais , Medula Óssea/metabolismo , Células da Medula Óssea/efeitos dos fármacos , Células-Tronco Hematopoéticas/citologia , Inflamação , Masculino , Manose/química , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/farmacologia , Mastócitos/efeitos dos fármacos , Modelos Biológicos , Ratos , Ratos WistarRESUMO
La lectina de unión a la manosa (MBL) es una colectina que se sintetiza en el hígado y es secretada al torrente sanguíneo, la cual es capaz de unirse con estructuras repetidas de azúcares presentes en una amplia variedad de bacterias y otros microorganismos promoviendo su eliminación mediante la activación del complemento a través de serín proteasas asociadas. A las deficiencias de MBL se les considera como un importante factor de riesgo de infecciones en niños y en individuos inmunosuprimidos. Se discute la evidencia de que la MBL contribuye de forma importante a la inmunidad innata con el incremento de la susceptibilidad a determinadas enfermedades o la incidencia en el curso de estas. Estudios preliminares del empleo de terapias sustitutivas con MBL han arrojado resultados prometedores, los que deben ofrecer evidencias acerca del significado fisiológico de esta proteína
Assuntos
Humanos , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/fisiologia , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/genética , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/química , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/uso terapêuticoRESUMO
Using RNA extracted from Zantedeschia aethiopica young leaves and primers designed according to the conservative regions of Araceae lectins, the full-length cDNA of Z. aethiopica agglutinin (ZAA) was cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The full-length cDNA of zaa was 871 bp and contained a 417 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a lectin precursor of 138 amino acids. Through comparative analysis of zaa gene and its deduced amino acid sequence with those of other Araceae species, it was found that zaa encoded a precursor lectin with signal peptide. Secondary and three-dimensional structure analyses showed that ZAA had many common characters of mannose-binding lectin superfamily and ZAA was a mannose-binding lectin with three mannose-binding sites. Southern blot analysis of the genomic DNA revealed that zaa belonged to a multi-copy gene family
Assuntos
Lectina de Ligação a Manose/fisiologia , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/genética , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/química , Lectina de Ligação a Manose , Proteínas de Plantas/fisiologia , Proteínas de Plantas/genética , Proteínas de Plantas/química , Genes de Plantas/fisiologia , Genes de Plantas/genética , Plantas Geneticamente Modificadas/fisiologia , Plantas Geneticamente Modificadas/genética , Plantas Geneticamente Modificadas/química , Regulação da Expressão Gênica de Plantas/fisiologia , Regulação da Expressão Gênica de Plantas/genéticaRESUMO
Using RNA extracted from Zantedeschia aethiopica young leaves and primers designed according to the conservative regions of Araceae lectins, the full-length cDNA of Z. aethiopica agglutinin (ZAA) was cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The full-length cDNA of zaa was 871 bp and contained a 417 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a lectin precursor of 138 amino acids. Through comparative analysis of zaa gene and its deduced amino acid sequence with those of other Araceae species, it was found that zaa encoded a precursor lectin with signal peptide. Secondary and three-dimensional structure analyses showed that ZAA had many common characters of mannose-binding lectin superfamily and ZAA was a mannose-binding lectin with three mannose-binding sites. Southern blot analysis of the genomic DNA revealed that zaa belonged to a multi-copy gene family
Assuntos
Lectina de Ligação a Manose , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/química , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/genética , Lectina de Ligação a Manose/fisiologia , Proteínas de Plantas/fisiologia , Proteínas de Plantas/química , Proteínas de Plantas/genética , Plantas Geneticamente Modificadas/química , Plantas Geneticamente Modificadas/genética , Plantas Geneticamente Modificadas/fisiologia , Regulação da Expressão Gênica de Plantas/genética , Regulação da Expressão Gênica de Plantas/fisiologia , Genes de Plantas/genética , Genes de Plantas/fisiologiaRESUMO
The embryotoxic activity and differential binding of plant-derived carbohydrate-recognizing proteins on sea urchin (Lytechinus variegatus) embryo cells was investigated. IC50 doses for toxicity on larvae development varied from 0.6 up to 96.3 microg ml(-1) and these effects were largely reversed by previously heating the proteins. Changes in the glycoconjungate status of the cell surface were assessed by time-course binding of the proteins during embryogenesis according to their carbohydrate-binding specificity. Glucose/mannose binding-proteins bound embryo cells at the same stage of development, at a similar stage to the N-acetylglucosamine/N-acetylneuraminic acid binding-protein (WGA) and earlier than galactose specific ones. FITC-conjugates of these proteins confirmed the above results and revealed the presence of specific and differential receptors for them. Inhibition assays using inhibitory glycoproteins significantly diminished the labelled patterns of FITC-conjugates. In conclusion, the assayed proteins exhibited embryotoxicity and their binding requirements were useful for following changes in the pattern of cell surface glycoconjugates on embryo cells of sea urchin. This property could be useful in analyzing other cell types.