Purification, Characterization And Biological Activity Of Pigeonpea Lectin

Legume is the main resource of plant protein for man and livestocks. Edible legume ranks second among the top three food crops, following cereals and before potato. Nitrogen fixed by legume root nodules accounts for 40% of total biological nitrogen fixation. Origin from Indian semi-continent with 6000 years planting, pigeonpea is a wood legume, annual and perennial crop which can be cultivated in tropical and sub-tropical region. With strong drought and leanness endurance as well high nutritional protein (21.5%) pigeonpea is competent for ecology recovering of Southwest China by blocking back the rocky trend and preventing soil erosion, providing both food and fodder.Lectin has been found majority in legume. Atypical property of lectin, a specific-sugar binding, is cell agglutination. Lectin can thus bind to the gut epithelium of animals, followed by disruption of the brush borders and disorganization of the main absorptive cells, which cause reduction in the absorptive surface area and absorption of nutrients, gives plant lectin a spectrum of anti-insect properties. Medical researches revealed that plant lectin is anti-tumour protein which prevents cancer, while agricultural researches showed that leguminous lectin might be the recognition acceptor of rhizobium.In the present study, it was found that starting from brine-soaking grinded seeds raw pigeonpea lectin could be extracted at 1.15 % efficiency in 50% saturated ammonium sulfate fraction. Lectin from pigeonpea varieties were found different in erythrocytes agglutination...