Archaeal surface glycocon.iugate analysis by lectins

Lectins, by virlue of sugar specificity and antibody-like function, are valuable probes for terminal carbohydrate detection on the surface of animal, plant and mierobial cells They were not used with halophiia aichaea since their reactions are geneially performod under isotoinc conditions, while archaca require high salt concentrations We h;i\Lovercome the concentration gap problem by showing that at K>°o Nat'1 concentration, which abolishes antibody activity. Icetins are still aeti\e and (he archaeal cell integrity is still kept Using this concentration, ue examined adsorption of 8 lectins (animal, hacteiial and plant) onto S different halophilic archaea 2 //cilnhcicfcnuin .\ci/innrniu strains, Htilojcrax volcann and mciltlcrninci. ffu/oan u lu innri.\fnornif and V(.illisinorti.\, as well as Hulonthnim sotiomensc and .\'ti(t'obticfcrii</u f>h(iniotn\ The adsorption was followed by isotonic heniagglutination inhibition test Most archaeal strains it-acted stronglv \\ith Af>!\sm gon.id lectin (exhibiting high aiVmitv for n-galactuionic acid). Con A (D-glucose/D-mannose) and (!k'x and IUvu leclins (I-fucose) I'apain treatment of the cells only abolished the Con \adsoiption With the four galactophilic lectins used (of peanut soybean, l-.rythnttn ami r.\cuiJ(>i?HHiit\ (ii'ni£ino\(i) mosl of the archaea reacted \eiv we;ikl\ These lesults are in accord with the limited information available on archaeal surface glycoconjugates and thev consideiablv expand the examined archaeal range Moreovei, they open the Held for a combined application ot" lectins and ulycosidases for elaboration of the detailed archaeal surface glvcoeonjugate composition.