Triticum vulgaris Lectin (WGA) - FITC (Fluorescein)

      Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) is a lectin that is affinity purified from Triticum vulgaris and non-enzymatically binds to N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and sialic acid residues of glycoproteins and glycolipids. This lectin protects Triticum vulgaris from insects, yeast and bacteria. WGA consists of two subunits and has a molecular weight of 36 kDa. It is an acidic protein and has mitogenic activity toward lymphocytes. It agglutinates erythrocytes and most types of malignant cells.     Similar to insulin, WGA enhances the rate of glucose oxidation in isolated fat cells and is used for isolation and fractionation of insulin receptors. A recent time-of-addition study made it evident that WGA inhibits infection with SARS-CoV-2 by inhibiting replication when the lectin is incubated with the virus and added to cells during infection. The data from the same study indicated the mode of action is an interaction between WGA and the viral envelope, causing neutralization of the virus. It is possib