Lectins facilitate calcium-induced fusion of phospholipid vesicles containing glycosphingolipids

ORCiD

Nejat Düzgüneş: 0000-0001-6159-1391

Department

Biomedical Sciences

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

FEBS Letters

ISSN

0014-5793

Volume

173

Issue

1

DOI

10.1016/0014-5793(84)81021-2

First Page

80

Last Page

84

Publication Date

7-23-1984

Abstract

Ca2+-induced fusion of phospholipid vesicles containing globoside (GL-4) or disialoganglioside (GDla) is several-fold slower than the fusion of the pure phospholipid vesicles. Lectins specific for these glycosphingolipids, soybean agglutinin and wheat germ agglutinin, respectively, enhance the rate of fusion when added to the vesicle suspension before the introduction of Ca2+. The enhancement depends on the lectin concentration and the time of preincubation with the lectin. We propose that lectins facilitate membrane fusion by inducing intermembrane contact, which is the first step in the overall process of membrane fusion, or by laterally phase separating the inhibitory glycolipids. © 1984.

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