[Dynamic of lectin activity during germination of bean seeds (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)]

PHA quantity and activity dynamics during early germination of bean seed were investigated. Electrophoretic characteristics, subunits composition and carbohydrate-binding specificity of lectin extracted from white kidney bean cv. Bilozerna were studied. It was shown that investigated lectin consisted of 2 subunits E and L with molecular weight 34 and 36 kDa, respectively, analogously to purified PHA ("Serva", Germany), and specifically bound N-acetyl-D-galactosamin and galactose. During germination both quantity and activity of PHA were dramatically decreasing in embryonic axes and in cotyledons, possibly, as a result of the lectin release from seeds to the environment. It is very likely that one of the defence mechanisms of germinating seeds is related with the releasing of lectins that are able to bind components of the bacterial cell wall and to inhibit their growth.