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Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins of non-immune origin that
agglutinate cells or precipitate glycoconjugates.Based on
evolutionary and structural relatedness, seven lectin families have
been distinguished, of which legume lectins are the best
characterized. Lectins typically constitute a large fraction of the
total protein in most leguminous seeds and plant storage tissues
where they play an important role in several defense mechanisms. A
lectin from the seeds of Indigofera heterantha, member of family
leguminosae was isolated, purified, partially characterized and its
antimicrobial activity evaluated. The lectin is a homotetramer with
a molecular weight of about 70 KDa. The lectin shows a reasonable
temperature stability and is stable in the pH range of 2-9. It
demonstrates a remarkable antibacterial activity against E.coli,
K.pneumonia, S.aureus, and B.subtilis and also inhibits the growth
of phytopathogens Aspergillis niger, Aspergillis oryzie and
Fusarium oxysporum. These results point out that future findings on
applications of lectins isolated from leguminous plants can be of
great importance for clinical microbiology and possible therapeutic
applications.
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