The N-acetylgalactosamine and lactosamine specific lectin from Iris hybrida leaves.

The lectin isolated from the leaves of Iris hybrida binds specifically N-acetyl-galactosamine and lactose. Its molecule consists of two identical subunits bound by disulfide bonds. The lectin is a glycoprotein containing about 12% of sugars. It binds asialoglycoproteins containing complex type sugar chains. The binding is reduced by half at the concentration of 0.15 to 0.40 mM of the galactose containing disaccharides irrespectively to a type of galactose isomer. This indicates rather broad specificity of I. hybrida leaf lectin.