Expression of Winged Bean Basic Agglutinin in Spodoptera frugiperda Insect Cell Expression System

In this paper we report the successful expression of the winged bean basic agglutinin (WBA I) in insect cells infected with a recombinant baculovirus carrying the WBA I gene and its characterization in terms of its carbohydrate binding properties. The expressed protein appears to have a lower molecular weight than the native counterpart which is consistent with the lack of glycosylation of the former. Moreover, the expressed protein maintains its dimeric nature. Hence, a role for glycosylation in modulation of dimerization of WBA I is ruled out unlike Erythrina corallodendron (EcorL). Despite this the protein is active, with its sugar specificity unaltered.