Subunit structure of Vicia graminea anti-(blood-group N) lectin.

The subunit of the Vicia graminea lectin with blood-group-N specificity was examined by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and gel filtration in 6M-guanidinium chloride, and its molecular weights was found to be 25 000. The unique N-terminal sequence fof the first nine residues of the lectin confirmed that Vicia lectin consists of four identical chains non-covalently linked. Finally the microheterogeneity of the lectin shown by analytical isoelectric focusing is discussed.