First-class Technology, Professional Heliclona cratera Lectin Production
Lectins are ubiquitous (glycoproteins) of plant or animal origin with excellent biological properties. Marine species are a rich source of lectins, among which those from marine sponges have received much attention for their specific biological activities, such as toxic effects on cells and pro-inflammatory activities.
As a professional biology company, CD BioGlyco has fully grasped the knowledge and technology of Marine Lectin research and provides Heliclona cratera lectin production services to clients from all kinds of industries.
Extraction
The sponge Heliclona cratera samples are cut into small pieces and placed in a blender and the lectins are extracted using tris-buffered saline (TBS) as an extraction buffer. After some time, the buffer containing the lectin is filtered and the filtrate is centrifuged at high speed in a low-temperature environment. After centrifugation is completed, the supernatant is collected and lyophilized to get to Heliclona cratera lectin extract.
Purification
Heliclona cratera lectin can be adequately purified using ion exchange and gel chromatography.
The extracted crude Heliclona cratera lectin is injected into an ion exchange chromatography column and eluted with buffer. The eluate containing Heliclona cratera lectin is collected according to the signal of the protein peak in the spectrum of the ion exchange chromatography, and the preliminary purification is completed by removing the eluate.
The preliminary purified Heliclona cratera lectin is injected into a gel chromatography column and eluted using a specific eluent, the eluent containing Heliclona cratera lectin is collected, and the eluent is removed to arrive at a pure product of Heliclona cratera lectin. This step effectively removes large molecular impurities such as proteins.
Chemical properties testing
- Structural characterization
We use mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques to characterize the structure of Heliclona cratera lectins, such as the order of linkages, the conformation of the sugar chains, and the glycan composition.
Of these, the primary structure of Heliclona cratera lectin is determined in part by MS/MS.
Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) is effective in detecting the natural molecular weight of Heliclona cratera lectin.
Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) can determine the relative and subunit molecular weights of Heliclona cratera lectin.
The amino acid composition of Heliclona cratera lectin is determined directly using an automated amino acid analyzer.
Biological activity analysis
Saline, diluted Heliclona cratera lectin, and erythrocyte suspension are added sequentially to the wells of a well plate and the haemagglutination of Heliclona cratera lectin is observed after incubation for some time.
An aqueous solution of different glycans is added to the wells of the well plates and Heliclona cratera lectin and erythrocyte suspension are sequentially added to them, and the state of the erythrocytes is observed under a microscope after some time, to assess the inhibitory effect of glycans on Heliclona cratera lectin.
Applications
- Heliclona cratera lectin can bind specifically to carbohydrate fractions, including cells, and is a powerful tool for the isolation and identity of polysaccharides and glycoconjugates.
- Heliclona cratera lectin is involved in sponge cell defense mechanisms and can be used to protect sponges from predators or aggregate sponge cells.
- Heliclona cratera lectin can establish molecular bridges between molecules and activate cellular pathways, which can be used to mediate sponge cell-cell interactions and regulate cellular responses.
Advantages
- We have first-class marine lectin production technology and provide custom Heliclona cratera lectin production solutions to our clients to meet their needs for different applications.
- We continuously optimize our marine sponge lectin production process to ensure the highest efficiency in meeting our client's Heliclona cratera lectin research requirements.
- Our service team is made up of experienced biologists and chemists, providing various types of Marine Biomolecule Production Services.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the definition of lectin?
Lectins are glycan-binding proteins or glycoproteins of non-immune origin and should have the ability to cause cells to agglutinate or glycoconjugate or precipitate glycoconjugates. This definition contains three key points:
- Lectins are proteins or glycoproteins.
- The lectin must have the property of binding exclusively to the sugar moiety but excludes antibodies of immune origin directed against the sugar moiety.
- The lectin molecule must have two or more glycan-binding sites, thus excluding enzymes, transport proteins, hormones, toxins, etc., which have glycan-binding capacity but only one glycan-binding site.
What biotechnological potential exists for sponge lectins?
- Activity against mammalian immune cells: Several sponge lectins exhibit mitogenic activity against human or murine immune cells in vitro.
- Antimicrobial activity: In some sponge lectins, specific carbohydrates of microbial cell walls can be bound, thus exhibiting antimicrobial activity.
- Cytotoxic and anticancer activity: Sponge lectins can act on cancer cell lines by inhibiting cell proliferation and promoting apoptosis through various pathways.
CD BioGlyco is a global glycobiology research company with a background and expertise in all types of glycans, lectins, and other sugar-related biomolecules. We have completed a large number of successful lectin production projects from a variety of industries and have received numerous accolades. Please feel free to contact us if you are interested in our services.
Reference
- Gardères, J.; et al. Porifera lectins: diversity, physiological roles, and biotechnological potential. Mar. Drugs. 2015, 13(8): 5059-5101.
