• Thana Lakshmi, K.

Presence of agglutinins in the whole body extract of some locally available species of marine gastropods was studied by adopting haemagglutination assay using 10 different mammalian erythrocytes. Of the animals surveyed, 14 species showed the presence of agglutinins for one or more type of erythrocytes. The agglutinating activity varied with the species as well as with the type of erythrocytes. Rabbit and rat erythrocytes were agglutinated by all the species studied. Highest activity of the agglutinins was recorded in the extract of Fasciolaria tulipa and Fusinus nicobaricus for rabbit erythrocytes, as revealed by a HA (Haemagglutination) titre of 1024, the maximum value obtained in the study. Trochus radiatus, Tonna cepa, Bufornia echineta, Volegalea cochlidium, Chicoreus ramosus, Chicoreus brunneus, Babylonia spirata, Babylonia zeylanica and Turbinella pyrum are among the other species, possessing strong (HA titre ranging from 128 to 512) anti-rabbit agglutinins. Agglutinins with binding specificity for rat erythrocytes have been observed in the extract of Trochus radiatus, Fasciolaria tulipa and Fusinus nicobaricus. None of the species agglutinated dog, cow, goat and buffalo erythrocytes. Agglutinins with weak activity against human erythrocytes were observed in Chicoreus brunneus (HA = 4 – 8). The present work has helped to identify potential sources of agglutinins among marine gastropods available in and around Kanyakumari District and thereby provides the baseline information, in the search for new pharmacologically valuable compounds derived from marine organisms. The agglutinins with high binding specificity, like those in the extract of Fasciolaria tulipa and Fusinus nicobaricus can be purified and studied further for evaluating their potential in the field of medicine and molecular biology.

Agglutinins, Haemagglutination, Erythrocytes, Gastropods, Lectins, Tris-buffered saline,

"Agglutinins with binding specificity for mammalian erythrocytes in the whole body extract of marine gastropods", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 6, page no.43-60, June 2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1907H10.pdf

"Agglutinins with binding specificity for mammalian erythrocytes in the whole body extract of marine gastropods", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 6, page no. pp43-60, June 2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1907H10.pdf