Review of Related Literature

Ruiz, Vicedo, Digman

Lectins are defined as proteins or glycoproteins possessing at least one non-catalytic

domain which binds reversibly to a specific mono- or oligosaccharide (Jebor and Jalil 2012). The
word Lectin has been derived from the Latin word which means I choose, because lectins are
very specific to the site to which it binds (Bhol 2012). Lectins are widely distributed in nature
and found in all forms of life including plant products such as fruits, vegetables but nuts, grains,
beans and seeds contains high lectin amount (Lis and Sharon 1986). Researchers have great
interest and lectins have been studied and isolated from various sources including plants ,
animals, fungi, lichens and bacteria (Liener 1976).
Because of their sugar binding properties, lectins have been extensively studied and used
as molecular tools for the study of carbohydrate architecture and dynamics on the cell surface
(Jebor and Jalil 2012). This specific trademark of lectins grants itself as carbohydrate-binding
proteins which bind to glycoproteins, glycolipids, and also polysaccharides (Goldstein and Hayes
1978). These proteins can be classified into many groups such as mannose-binding, glucosebinding, galactose-binding, N-acetylglucosamine- binding, N-acetylgalactosamine- binding,
fucose-binding, and sialicacid-binding (Bhol 2012). In addition, they have non-immune origin
and can bind to the above mentioned biochemical compounds without changing their covalent
structure (Kocourek & Horejsi 1981; Barondes 1988).
Lectins can be used as probes for the characterization and isolation of simple and
complex sugars (Rudiger and Gabius 2001). Furthermore, these proteins were characterized for
their agglutination properties with erythrocytes of human and other animals, it is the easiest and
most convenient method of detection of lectin activity (Laija et al. 2010). As antigenic
determinants of blood group, these proteins have come to be important tools in the identification
of different blood groups antigens. A handful of lectins may be considered excellent reagents for
anti-A, anti-B, anti-N etc, (Khan 2006). Isotopes of these proteins along within antibodies may
be used as markers for the detection of basal cells in the human respiratory epithelium.

Furthermore, they suggest that the glycosylation of some glycocomponents of the basal cells is
under the control of the genes of the secretor- and ABO-blood group system (Bals and Welsch
2003).
One of the major sources of plant lectins, family fabaceae or leguminosae is a plant group
that is characterized by its stipulated leaves and its fruit (beans). This major family under
kingdom plantae comes from the latin word faba which means beans (Lavin and Sanderson,
2014). The ovary of this plant family develops into a legume - a simple dry fruit that usually
opens along a seam on two sides commonly named as "pod". The family Fabaceae has an
essentially worldwide distribution, being found everywhere except Antarctica and the high arctic
regions. The trees are often found in tropical regions, while the herbaceous plants and shrubs are
predominant outside the tropics (Schrire, Lewis, Lavin 2005). Over 730 known genera are
present around the world, among which are few established studies on the use of lectin in the
field of immunohematology.
Among the known genera of lectin-containing legumes is Phaseolus vulgaris. P. vulgaris
(also known as Sitaw, common bean, string bean, field bean, flageolet bean, French bean, garden
bean, green bean, haricot bean, pop bean, or snap bean) is a herbaceous member of the family
Fabaceae known for its edible dry seed. This plant species is of worldwide distribution and is
biogeographically abundant in tropical regions such as the Philippines.
The conjugation of particulate test antigens to a carrier which could be artificial (latex or
charcoal particles) or biological (red blood cells) is responsible for agglutination reactions.
Patient serum seemingly containing antibodies are reacted to these conjugated particles which
has an endpoint of observation of clumps due to the formation of antigen-antibody complex. The
time of incubation with the antibody source, amount and avidity of the antigen conjugated to the
carrier, and conditions of the test environment (e.g., pH and protein concentration) determines
the quality of the test result. In diagnostic immunology, various methods are used such as latex
agglutination, flocculation tests, direct bacterial agglutination, and hemagglutination (Boundless,
26 May 2016).
The isolation of lectin is essential in this experiment for without this, its physiological
activity present in the natural sources will not be fully appreciated. In order to properly express

the hemagglutinating property (Jebor & Jalil, 2012) of lectin in vitro, it must be first isolated
from its sources. There are plenty of methods on how to extract lectin from beans some are the
traditional ones.
First is Soaking Method; lectin can be extracted through soaking the beans in 0.5 M NaCl
at 4 C for four hours followed by filtration using four layers of cheesecloth. The homogenates
obtained must be centrifuged using Remi Cooling Centrifuge at 6000 rpm for 30 minutes (Khan,
2010).
Next, the beans must undergo the grinding process to remove the seed coat. 50 grams of
uncoated seed is enough for the study. The uncoated seed must be soaked in phosphate buffer
saline (PBS) overnight. The soaked seed must be grinded again including little PBS to form a
paste and it will be collected in 50 ml centrifuge tubes and to be centrifuged at Eppendorf
Centrifuge 5430R with 7500 rpm at 4c for 20 minutes (Chandra, 2012).
After performing these, the next step is to undergo salting process using ammonium
sulphate (Zhang et al, 2009). In this process, the sample was stored for overnight at 40 C and in
the next day the sample was taken for centrifuge, then supernatant and pellet was collected. The
amount of supernatant was measured by a measuring cylinder and taken for 60% cut off. The
supernatant was taken and ammonium sulphate salt was added in pinch wise and continues
stirining was done by magnetic strirer. Similarly like 20% cutoff and 60% cutoff supernatant was
collected and measured ammonium salt was added for 90% cutoff and stored at 4C overnight.
The pellet was collected after centrifugation and underwent dialysis in PBS for 3-4 days
(Chandra, 2012). These said methods, however, are cumbersome operations, produces low
extraction rate, hard to extract hand-running and amplify, of which are common in isolation and
purification of biomolecules (Hou et al, 2010).
Affinity chromatography by a Sepharose-4B column was used to purify the lectin from
the legume of choice. The goal is to know the elution profile of the legume lectin from lactamylsepharose affinity matrix for 60% and 90% affinity (Chandra, 2012). The stationary phase is
typically a gel matrix (sepharose) which is a sugar molecule derived from an algae. The starting
point I purification is an undefined heterogeneous group of molecules in solution, such as a plant
cell lysate in this case. A well-known and defined property is to be exploited during the affinity

purification process for the molecule of interest. It is an entrapment process wherein the target
molecule is being trapped on a solid or stationary phase or medium. The specific property will
separate the lectin from the undesired molecules in the mobile phase. The unwanted molecules
will not become trapped as they do not possess this property. The stationary phase can then be
removed from the mixture, washed and the target molecule released from the entrapment in a
process known as elution (Uhlen, 2008). Affinity chromatography is performed for the
purification of recombinant proteins and biochemically diverse molecules such as Lectins.
Overall, the uses of affinity chromatography are: to purify and concentrate a substance from a
mixture into a buffering solution; reduce the amount of a substance in a mixture; discern what
biological compounds bind to a particular substance; and purify and concentrate an enzyme
solution properties that are ideal for purifying a complex biochemical compound such as Lectin
by elimination of unwanted molecules.