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Cell surface lectin-binding glycoconjugates on marine planktonic protists

  1. Emily C. Roberts1,
  2. Mikhail V. Zubkov2,
  3. Mercedes Martin-Cereceda3,4,
  4. Gianfranco Novarino4,
  5. Emma C. Wootton1

Article first published online: 18 OCT 2006

DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2006.00484.x

Issue

FEMS Microbiology Letters

FEMS Microbiology Letters

Volume 265, Issue 2, pages 202–207, December 2006

Additional Information

How to Cite

Roberts, E. C., Zubkov, M. V., Martin-Cereceda, M., Novarino, G. and Wootton, E. C. (2006), Cell surface lectin-binding glycoconjugates on marine planktonic protists. FEMS Microbiology Letters, 265: 202–207. doi: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2006.00484.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wales Swansea, Swansea, UK

  2. 2

    National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, UK

  3. 3

    Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Sunnyside Avenue, University of Kansas, Lawrence, USA

  4. 4

    The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, UK

*Correspondence: Emily C. Roberts, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wales Swansea, Swansea, SA2 8PP. Tel.: +44 1792 513003; fax: +44 1792 295447; e-mail: e.roberts@swansea.ac.uk

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 18 OCT 2006
  2. Article first published online: 18 OCT 2006
  3. Received 25 August 2006; revised 20 September 2006; accepted 21 September 2006.First published online 18 October 2006.

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Keywords:

  • lectin-binding;
  • flagellate;
  • ciliate;
  • plankton;
  • mannose;
  • Con A

Abstract

Carbohydrate–protein interactions appear to play an important role in the phagocytosis of microbial prey by free-living protozoa. The present study utilizes FITC-labelled plant lectins to investigate the presence and localization of cell surface glycoconjugates on live and fixed planktonic protists (Dunaliella primolecta, Oxyrrhis marina, Goniomonas amphinema, Paraphysomonas vestita and Euplotes vannus). With live flagellate preparations, lectins primarily bound to external cell surfaces, with minimal internal staining observed. In contrast, cell fixation permeabilized cell membranes, allowing lectins to bind to internal structures, such as nuclear membranes and food vacuoles, interfering with the characterization of cell surface glycoconjugates. The method developed to label cell surface sugar moieties of live planktonic protists successfully overcomes the problems associated with fixation, and thus provides a useful protocol for future studies on protistan cell surface carbohydrate characterization.

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