Preliminary characterization of crude lectins fractions of red macroalgae species collected from the southern coast of Gunungkidul Indonesia

Abstract

Lectins or hemagglutinins are specific sugar-binding proteins (glycoproteins) of non-immune origins that typically agglutinate certain cells and/or precipitate glycoconjugates. This study aimed to evaluate the activity of hemagglutination, protein comtent, and initial characterization (the stability towards pH, temperature, divalent cation and inhibition of hemagglutination activity by sugars and/or glycoproteins) crude lectins fractions of red macroalgae from the coast of Gunungkidul Beach, Yogyakarta. Crude lectins fractions was taken from red macroalgae extracted by phosphate buffer saline (PBS) pH 7 at 4 oC for over night. Precipitation using ammonium sulfate to reach 75% saturation, precipitates that have been dissolved and then put into a dialysis bag with a cut off molecular weight of 10 kDa. The dialysis process lasts for eight hours by replacing the dialysis solution (PBS pH 7) every two hours. The result of dialysis called as crude lectins fractions. The findings showed that hemagglutination activity using trypsin treated rabbit erythrocytes of crude fractions of red algae lectins Nitophylium punctatum species, Helminthora divaricata, and Acanthophora spicifera were 26, 26, and 213, respectively. The protein contents were 8,123.47 μg / ml; 9,545.65 μg / ml; and 7,368.45 μg / ml. Although the three red macroalgae species tend to maintain a relatively stable pH, their temperature tolerance was unstable, and were unaffected by divalent cations. The carbohydrate-binding specificities assay of the red macroalgae species showed the occcurence of inhibition in certain glycoproteins and not simple sugars.