[Properties of a hemagglutinin isolated from the seeds of Vicia graminea].

A lectin is isolated from Vicia graminea seeds; it is purified from a crude extract after a precipitation with ammonium sulfate "DEAE"-cellulose chromatography and "sephadex G 150" gel filtration. Its homogeneity is demonstrated by different methods. It is a glycoprotein with 7.3% of carbohydrates. The native lectin is found to have a molecular weight about 100 000 and the subunit molecular weight is estimated to be 25 000 daltons. The lectin agglutinates only N erythrocytes and it is not mitogenic. The Vicia graminea lectin is the first anti N lectin which has been purified and characterized.