Biotium & Vector Laboratories
Lectins
Understanding Lectins and their applications in cell staining
Lectins are specialized proteins that bind to carbohydrates, specifically recognizing sugar moieties on the surface of cell glycoproteins. Among these, Concanavalin A (Con A) and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) are particularly notable for their ability to selectively stain the cell surfaces of live cells. These lectins are robust enough to endure processes like fixation and permeabilization. When cells undergo fixation and permeabilization prior to staining, fluorescent lectins can effectively stain both the cell surface and organelles within the secretory pathway. Additionally, WGA serves as a live cell Gram stain for bacteria, while both Con A and WGA conjugates are useful for staining the cell wall and bud scars in yeast.
Specific markers for cell types
Different lectins can act as markers for specific cell types. For instance, Lycopersicon esculentum (Tomato) lectin (LEL, TL) is recognized as a marker for blood vessels and microglial cells. Meanwhile, Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA I) is used as a marker for endothelial cells and partially differentiated gastrin cells.
THE SELECTION OF LECTIN CF® DYES (from Biotium):
| Product | Features |
|---|---|
| CF® Dye Concanavalin A (Con A) | • Cell surface stain for yeast, fungi, and mammalian cells • Selectively binds to a-mannopyranosyl and a-glucopyranosy residues • Available with a wide selection of CF® Dyes |
| CF® Dye Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA) | • Cell surface stain for mammalian cells and gram+ bacteria • Also stains yeast bud scars • Has high affinity for sialic acid and N-acetylglucosamine • Choose from a wide selection of CF® Dyes or HRP |
| CF® Dye Peanut Lectin (PNA) from Arachis hypogaea | • Specific for terminal β-galactose and binds preferentially to galactosyl (β-1,3) N-acetylgalactosamine • Choice of 4 CF® dye colors |
| CF® Dye Lycopersicon Esculentum (Tomato) Lectin (LEL, TL) | • Marker for blood vessels and microglial cells • Binds to [GlcNAc] 1,3-N-acetylglucosamine, glycophorin, and Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein • Used to study tumor angiogenesis or tracing neovascular development in xenograft models • Choice of 5 CF® Dyes or biotin |
| CF® Dye Ulex Europaeus Agglutinin I (UEA I) | • Marker for human endothelial cells and incompletely differentiated gastrin cells • Binds to glycoproteins and glycolipids containing α-linked fucose residues • Choice of 5 CF® Dyes or biotin |
| CF® Dye Phaseolus Vulgaris Leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) | • Used to stimulate lymphocyte and T cell proliferation • Choice of 5 CF® Dyes or biotin |
| CF® Dye Datura Stramonium Lectin (DSL) | • Binds to (beta-1,4) linked N-acetylglucosamine oligomers • Choice of 5 CF® Dyes or biotin |
| CF® Dye Sambucus Nigra Lectin (SNA, EBL)) | • Binds to sialic acid attached to terminal galactose • Choice of 6 CF® Dyes or biotin |
LECTINS from VECTOR LABORATORIES
All lectins manufactured by Vector are extracted from a native plant source (i.e. seeds, bulbs, fruit etc.) and are not recombinant. They are grouped based on their monosaccharide binding preferences. Each lectin is offered as an unconjugated and conjugated format. You can choose from fluorophore labeled or biotinylated for most IHC, IF, ELISA and blotting applications. Agarose bound lectin formats are offered for glycoprotein capture, purification and elution purposes.
Their topselling lectins:
| Lectin symbol | Lectin name | Available conjugates |
|---|---|---|
| LEL, TL | Lycopersicon Esculentum (Tomato) Lectin | Unconjugated, Fluorescein, Texas Red, DyLight 488, DyLight 594, DyLight 649, Agarose, Biotin |
| WGA | Wheat Germ Agglutinin | Unconjugated, Fluorescein, Rhodamine, Peroxidase, Agarose, Biotin |
| UEA I | Ulex Europaeus Agglutinin I | Unconjugated, Fluorescein, DyLight 594, DyLight 649, Rhodamine, Agarose, Biotin |
| SNA, EBL | Sambucus Nigra Lectin | Unconjugated, Fluorescein, Agarose, Biotin, Cy3, Cy5 |
| WFA, WFL | Wisteria Floribunda Lectin | Unconjugated, Fluorescein, Agarose, Biotin |
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