Anti-vatairea guianensis lectin igy antibodies produced in immunized chicken eggs: production, isolation and characterization

Lectins are a group of carbohydrate-binding proteins found in all organisms. Among these proteins, a species that stands out for having several biological activities is Vatairea guianensis lectin (VGL). Techniques involving antibodies can range from classic immunochemistry assays to advanced microscopy techniques. Thus, they can become valuable biotechnological tools since they are able to specifically recognize epitopes of the target molecules. Immunoglobulins are proteins whose main function is to bind with antigens foreign to the individual, in order to neutralize them. In the case of birds, the main class of immunoglobulins Y (IgYs) can be found not only in blood but also in egg yolks. This fact allows for quick and efficient purification of these molecules, facilitating their use as biotechnological tools. This work aimed to produce antibodies against VGL in chickens, implementing a methodology for the production biotechnological tools for the study of lectins. For that purpose, laying hens were immunized with VGL for 15 weeks at 10-day intervals. Collected eggs had the IgY purified and the produced antibody was able to recognize VGL as observed by western blotting. In this sense, the IgYs produced in this work constitute a powerful biotechnological tool available for future studies.