Isolectin I (LOL I) isolated from the seeds of Lathyrus ochrus has been crystallized in the presence of four different oligosaccharides from an N-acetyllactosaminic type biantennary glycan of human lactotransferrin. The crystals containing putative complexes of LOL I with two different disaccharides are isostructural with the saccharide-free LOL I form (space group P2(1)2(1)2, a = 135.8 A, b = 63.1 A and c = 54.5 A). The LOL I-trisaccharide complex crystallizes in the same space group with small but significant changes in the cell dimensions: a = 136.9 A,b = 63.4 A and c = 54.6 A. Both crystal forms diffract strongly up to at least 1.8 A resolution. One functional entity, an alpha 2 beta 2 tetramer in the asymmetric unit (Mr = 52,000) give a Vm of 2.2 A3/dalton, or a solvent content of approximately 44%. The putative LOL I-octosaccharide complex crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2 with cell dimensions a = 78.3 A, b = 75.4 A, c = 103.9 A and beta = 92 degrees. The crystals diffract to a resolution of 2.3 A and are suitable for crystallographic investigations. An alpha 2 beta 2 tetramer complexed to two octosaccharides (Mr = 55,000) in the asymmetric unit leads to a Vm value of 2.8 A3/dalton (57% solvent).