Bandeiraea simplicifolia I isolectins reveal a development sequential relationship.

We have analyzed the distribution of the five tetrameric Bandeiraea simplicifolia I isolectins (A4, A3b, A2B2, AB3, B4) isolated by melibionate Bio-Gel affinity chromatography from 168 single seeds gathered in Ghana from known trees and pods. Alkaline, nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was employed to analyze the distribution of the five isolectins. The polyacrylamide gels were scanned at 625 nm and the peak height corresponding to each isolectin was measured and expressed as a percentage of the total of peak height. Principal components analysis of the correlations among the percentages indicated a sequential relationship among the five isolectins with the concentrations of B4 and A4 inversely related. Further statistical analyses indicated that although the distribution of isolectins in each seed was unique, seeds gathered from the same tree were more similar than seeds gathered from different trees. Several causes of this sequential relationship are discussed.