Agglutinins are sugar-specific lectins that can agglutinate erythrocytes and other cell types. Lectins occur widely in plants, as well as some microorganisms and animal [ PUBMED:15229195 ]. Agglutinin from Amaranthus caudatus (amaranthin) is a lectin from the ancient South American crop, amaranth grain. Although its … expand

Agglutinins are sugar-specific lectins that can agglutinate erythrocytes and other cell types. Lectins occur widely in plants, as well as some microorganisms and animal [ PUBMED:15229195 ]. Agglutinin from Amaranthus caudatus (amaranthin) is a lectin from the ancient South American crop, amaranth grain. Although its biological function is unknown, it can agglutinate A, B and O red blood cells, and has a carbohydrate-binding site that is specific for the methyl-glycoside of the T-antigen found linked to serine or threonine residues of cell surface glycoproteins [ PUBMED:2271665 ]. The protein is comprised of a homodimer, with each homodimer consisting of two β-trefoil domains [ PUBMED:2777780 ]. Lectin B chains from ricin and related toxins also contain β-trefoil domain, however they are not related to agglutinin, showing little sequence similarity [ PUBMED:9334739 ].