Lectin binding and the carbohydrate moieties present on Newcastle disease virus strains

Lectin-binding profiles were developed for 14 strains of Newcastle disease virus in order to determine the carbohydrate moieties associated with hemagglutination and to establish whether there are any associations between the carbohydrates present on the virus envelope and virulence. All strains of Newcastle disease virus were bound by concanavalin A. Other lectins bound the viruses differentially, but there was no pattern of binding that could be associated with viral virulence. The binding of virus by Lens culinaris lectin was associated with the elution rate of the virus from chicken erythrocytes. Strains that elute rapidly from chicken erythrocytes were not bound by Lens culinaris lectin. The sugar alpha-D-N-acetylglucosamine inhibited the adsorption of Lens culinaris lectin to the strains that were "slow eluters" from chicken erythrocytes.