Characterization of an Agrobacterium tumefaciens lectin

An Agrobacterium tumefaciens suspension induces a strong agglutination of aldehyde-fixed pig erythrocytes at pH 5.0. The agglutination is inhibited by some polysaccharides, such as fucoidin, and also when the pH is raised to 7.0. Lectins (sugar-binding proteins) associated with the bacterial cell wall of A. tumefaciens strain 84.5 were directly evidenced by spectrofluorimetry using fluoresceinylated neoglycoproteins. The specific binding of the fluorescein-labelled neoglycoprotein bearing alpha-L-fucoside residues was also optimal at pH 5.0. A lectin was purified by affinity chromatography on agarose substituted with alpha-L-fucopyranoside. Furthermore, the haemagglutination activity of this lectin was inhibited by polysaccharides isolated from poplar leaves.