Enterolobin is a 52.9 kDa, cytolytic, inflammatory and insecticidal protein present in Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Vell.) Morong, a Brazilian large-sized tree. This protein was previously described to occur in different forms of association (monomeric and oligomeric forms). In the current work, we investigated the presence of enterolobin forms of association and hemolytic activity in maturing, germinating and germinated seeds. Immunoblotting analysis revealed the presence of the monomeric form of enterolobin in all phases under study, whereas the dimer was detected in developing seeds in the second half of the maturation period, during germination and in the early post-germination phase. The trimeric form of enterolobin appeared one week after the dimer... |