Cell-surface lectins of Azospirillum spp.

Cell-surface lectins were screened in seven strains of Azospirillum brasilense and A. lipoferum. The presence of lectins was determined by particle agglutination assays employing latex beads coated with neoglycoproteins and by Western blot with neoglycoproteins labeled with horseradish peroxidase as a probe. Seven strains were agglutinated with the assayed sugar residues. The highest agglutination was with fucose and glucose and to a lesser extent with mannose residues. Cell-wall proteins extracted from two Azospirillum spp. strains exhibit lectin-like activities. We believe that lectins are present in the cell-wall of Azospirillum spp.