0000000000007828
AUTHOR
Z. Kljajić
Possible control mechanism of cell motility in the gorgonian Eunicella cavolinii
In a previous study it was demonstrated that a lectin controls cell-cell interaction in the gorgonian Eunicella cavolinii (Koch) as a negative modulator. Now we describe the procedure to purify this lectin to homogeneity; its molecular weight is 23 400. The homologous proteoglycans were identified as positive modulators of cell-cell (and/or cell substrate) interaction. The purified single proteoglycan aggregates were 1200±700 nm long and the distance between the attachment points of the proteoglycan subunits was about 45 nm. The glycosaminoglycan residues of the gorgonian proteoglycans were identified as hyaluronic acid (35.5%), heparan sulfate (47.9%) and dermatan sulfate (14.1%). Binding …
Cell-cell recognition system in gorgonians: description of the basic mechanism
The dissociation of the gorgonian Eunicella cavolinii (Koch) into single cells was successfully accomplished. These cells readily formed aggregates of a size of 2 100 μm during incubation in roller tubes; no aggregate formation was observed in non-rotating Petri dishes. The formation of aggregates was not influenced by Ca++, urea or trypsin; it was also independent of temperature (4° to 30°C) and pH (5.5–9.0). The intercellular material of the gorgonian contains a galactose-specific lectin, as determined by double diffusion experiments and haemagglutination inhibition experiments using a series of galactoglycoconjugates. This lectin converted the aggregation-susceptible cells to aggregation…