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Updated: Feb 28, 2026

Fluorescent Immunolocalization of Arabinogalactan Proteins and Pectins in the Cell Wall of Plant Tissues
Published on: February 27, 2021
Structural investigations on arabinogalactan-proteins from a lycophyte and different monilophytes (ferns) in the
Desirée Bartels1, Birgit Classen1
1Pharmaceutical Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Gutenbergstr. 76, 24118 Kiel, Germany.
Abstract:
Today, understanding of cell wall evolution is incomplete due to limited knowledge of cell wall structure of non-flowering plants. Besides polysaccharides, proteoglycans like arabinogalactan-proteins are important constituents of the cell wall of most if not all seed plants. This article provides the first detailed characterization of AGPs from a lycophyte and different ferns, which are the closest living relatives to seed plants. The amount of protein in fern AGPs (6-12%) was in a range comparable to most seed plant AGPs. However, it was higher for Lycopodium AGP (17%). The carbohydrate moieties of investigated AGPs showed typical features known for type-II arabinogalactans from seed plants and showed cross-reaction with polyclonal antibodies raised against Echinacea AGP. On the other hand, unusual structural components like high quantities of pyranosidic arabinose residues for Lycopodium AGP and 3-O-methyl-rhamnose for fern AGPs have been detected.
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