lectin
Sign in to savethumb|A typical legume lectin monomer (lentil lectin), complexed with a sugar ([[glucose). The four sugar-binding loops are shown in different colours. The variable loop that confers monosaccharide specificity is shown in orange.]]
Article
21 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Biological functions
- Animals
- Plants
- Legume-type
- Other types
- Bacteria and viruses
- Use
- In medicine and medical research
- In studying carbohydrate recognition by proteins
- As a biochemical tool
- In biochemical warfare
- Dietary lectin
- Lectin-free diet
- Toxicity
- Hemagglutination
- History
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
thumb|A typical legume lectin monomer (lentil lectin), complexed with a sugar ([[glucose). The four sugar-binding loops are shown in different colours. The variable loop that confers monosaccharide specificity is shown in orange.]]
Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins that are highly specific for sugar groups that are part of sugars and other molecules. Lectins can recognize specific types of sugar moieties and play a role in the recognization of carbohydrates and glycosylated proteins. This recognition is used within organisms to mediate binding between specific cell types, to recognize chemical messages, and to recognize foreign cells: for example, the human lectin CLEC11A conveys a signal for bone growth. Lectins are also used by pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi to recognize and tightly attach to their host cells.