Amaranthus hypochondriacus and A. tricolor lectins: isolation and characterization.

Asialofetuin-linked amino activated silica was used for the affinity purification of lectins from Amaranthus hypochondriacus Linn (AHL) and A. tricolor Linn (ATL). Like a few other Amaranthus lectins, these lectins were also inhibited by N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, fetuin and asialofetuin; they agglutinated human and different animal erythrocytes.

Radium needle used to calibrate germanium gamma-ray detector.

A standard platinum-iridium needle that contains 374 MBq 226Ra was tested as a source for calibrating a portable germanium detector used with a gamma-ray spectrometer for environmental radioactivity measurements. The counting efficiencies of the 11 most intense gamma rays emitted by 226Ra and its short-lived radioactive progeny at energies between 186 and 2,448 keV were determined, at the full energy peaks, to construct a curve of counting efficiency vs. energy.

Occurrence and characterization of lectins in actinomycetes.

25 species of actinomycetes were tested for the occurrence of lectins. Using a battery of normal and desialized erythrocytes, each species was screened for 3 types of lectin activity i.e.

Occurrence and characterization of lympho-agglutinins in Indian plants.

Lympho-agglutinins have been detected and characterized in 31 plant species. Out of these, 14 agglutinated only the neuraminidase-treated cells. The lectin-rich genera included Crotalaria and Erythrina (Fabaceae), Amaranthus (Amaranthaceae), Artocarpus (Moraceae) and Clerodendron (Verbenaceae).

Occurrence and characterization of lympho-agglutinins in Indian plants.

A survey of the occurrence of lympho-agglutinins was carried out on seeds of 150 species of wild and cultivated plants. Potent agglutinins were detected in 17 extracts by employing lymphocytes of man, guinea pig, goat and sheep in the bioassay. Except for one species each of Mimosoideae, Euphorbiaceae and Clusiaceae, all the agglutinins were found in fabaceous seeds.