Galactose-Binding C-Type Lectin Promotes Cellular Aggregation of Coelomocytes in Sea Cucumber.

ABSTRACT: Echinoderms have a large coelomic cavity containing coelomocytes. When the coelomic fluid is removed from the cavity, the cells aggregate immediately. We found that a fraction or an extract of the intestine of the sea cucumber, Apostichopus japonicus, markedly accelerated cellular movement and aggregation on a glass slide, and this effect was clearly inhibited by galactose. We successfully purified the aggregation-promoting factor, a 16 kDa protein, from the intestine. TOF-MS analysis followed by de novo sequencing revealed that the protein is a C-type lectin. RNA-seq data and cDNA cloning demonstrated the factor to be a novel lectin, named AjGBCL, consisting of 158 aa residues in the mature form. Microscopic observation revealed that most of the aggregating cells moved towar

SUBMITTER: Taguchi M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8713890 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature