Isolation of a novel lectin from the dorsal spines of the devil stinger, Inimicus japonicus

Abstract

A novel lectin was purified from the dorsal spines of the devil stinger, <em>Inimicus japonicus</em> using a combination of affinity chromatography techniques. A single band was detected on a native PAGE gel with a relative molecular mass of 97 kDa. The N-terminal partial amino acid of the intact 75 kDa subunit of the 97 kDa lectin was found to be DHEDS. The agglutination of rabbit erythrocytes by the 97 kDa lectin was inhibited most effectively by methyl α-D-mannoside. The 97 kDa lectin stimulated mitogenesis in murine splenocytes. This is the first study to examine the dorsal lectin of <em>I. japonicus</em> and one of the very few studies on venom lectins from venomous scorpaeniform fish. These results suggest that the devil stinger, <em>I. japonicus</em>, may be a novel resource for biologically active substances.