Purification and properties of lectin from potato tubers and leaves; interaction with acid phosphatase from potato tuber.

The haemagglutination activity of lectin, (STA) was determined during vegetation of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum var. Uran). Traces of haemagglutination activity were found in young stalks and first leaves. In the next leaves the maximal activity appeared after 6-8 weeks of vegetation and, simultaneously with the decrease in leaves it appeared in young tubers (at the time of their differentiation from stolons), reaching the maximum in the 18th week of vegetation. Lectins from potato tubers and leaves were extracted with acetate buffer, pH 3.6, salted out with ammonium sulphate, and purified alternatively by affinity chromatography on GlcNAc-Spheron or by adsorption on trypsinated and glutaraldehyde-fixed rabbit erythrocytes. Chromatography on Sephadex G-200 was used for preparative separation of isomeric forms. In the tubers four isolectins were found, differeing in molecular mass, pI values, content of sugars and haemagglutination activity. Two of these forms were isolated in homogeneous form: a heavy dimeric form, Mr 130,000-142,000 containing 59.6% of sugars (including 28.8% arabinose, 6.9% galactose, 16.5% glucose, 1.6% xylose and 3.1% mannose), and a light monomeric form. of Mr 21,000-22,000, containing 20% of neutral sugars (2.5% of pentoses and 17.5% of hexoses). From leaves, a single heavy dimeric lectin of Mr 136,000, containing 14.3% of neutral sugars was isolated. The effect of tuber isolectin on the activity, pH optima and heat-stability of the potato acid phosphatase has been described.