[The composition and structure of isolectins from Arum maculatum].

Abstract

The delipidized saline extract of Arum maculatum (AM) contains two selectively agglutinating human spermatozoa isolectinesphytospermoagglutinins (FSA1 and FSA2), which bind to various receptors of spermatozoon plasmalemma. It is established by means of disc polyacrilamide electrophoresis amino acid analysis and isoelectric focusing that FSA1 is tetrameter, but FSA2-octameter, which have similar amino-acid content and do not contain carbohydrates. The established structural differences probably cause also the capability of FSA1 and FSA2 to bind various receptors of spermatozoon plasmalemma. It is proven that FSA2 possesses antigenic properties.