Production and characterization of lectin from Bauhinia holophylla (Fabaceae:Cercideae) calli

Bauhinia holophylla is a woody plant found in the Brazilian Cerrado used in folk medicine to treat diabetes. Lectins are glycoproteins with several biotechnological applications and play important roles in plant defenses and in medicine. Lectins have been produced in vitro using plant tissue culture techniques. This study shows the production and characterization of lectin from B. holophylla by callus culture. Calli were obtained from leaf segments placed on woody plant and Murashige and Skoog media supplemented with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (0, 4.52, 9.05, 18.10 µM) or 6-benzylaminopurine (0, 4.44, 8.88, 17.75 µM), in the presence or absence of light. The highest concentrations of lectin expressed by hemagglutination activity were observed in green and compact callus induced in woody plant medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine in the presence of light, which showed specificity by all types of erythrocytes tested. The highest concentrations of lectin (128 HU mg −1 ) and fresh weight of callus were observed in the stationary phase (41st–60th day). Lectin was not detected in subcultured calli. d -Galactose promoted the highest inhibitory effect on the lectin activity in human erythrocytes ABO system, especially B-type. Lectin has been shown to be a stable protein, maintaining its hemagglutination activity after incubation at a wide range of temperatures, pH values and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid concentrations.