Glycolipid: One of the Major Receptors of Lectin RCA1

Turbidimetric assay study of agglutination induced by lectin RCA₁, in erythrocyte ghost membranes of several vertebrates and in the liposomes of their polar lipid isolates, demonstrates that glycolipid is one of the major receptors of lectin RCA₁, in all these systems. The study also shows that Mg²⁺, a divalent metal ion enhances this agglutination. whereas the effect of Ca²⁺ is not so significant in majority of the cases. Reversal of agglutination is studied after addition of galactose to the assay mixture.