Abstract

ZHONGHAI, Chen et al. Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel mannosebinding lectin cDNA from Zantedeschia aethiopica. Biocell [online]. 2005, vol.29, n.2, pp.187-193. ISSN 0327-9545.

Using RNA extracted from Zantedeschia aethiopica young leaves and primers designed according to the conservative regions of Araceae lectins, the full-length cDNA of Z. aethiopica agglutinin (zaa) was cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The full-length cDNA of zaa was 871 bp and contained a 417 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a lectin precursor of 138 amino acids. Through comparative analysis of zaa gene and its deduced amino acid sequence with those of other Araceae species, it was found that zaa encoded a precursor lectin with signal peptide. Secondary and three-dimensional structure analyses showed that ZAA had many common characters of mannose-binding lectin superfamily and ZAAwas a mannose-binding lectin with three mannose-binding sites. Southern blot analysis of the genomic DNA revealed that zaa belonged to a multi-copy gene family.

Keywords : Mannose-binding lectin; RACE; Zantedeschia aethiopica; ZAA.

        · text in English     · English ( pdf )