Abstract
Lectins are multivalent proteins with the ability to recognize and bind diverse carbohydrate structures. The glyco -binding and diverse molecular structures observed in these protein classes make them a large and heterogeneous group with a wide range of biological activities in microorganisms, animals and plants. Lectins from plants and animals are commonly used in direct defense against pathogens and in immune regulation. This review focuses on sources of animal and plant lectins, describing their functional classification and tridimensional structures, relating these properties with biotechnological purposes, including antimicrobial activities. In summary, this work focuses on structural-functional elucidation of diverse lectin groups, shedding some light on host-pathogen interactions; it also examines their emergence as biotechnological tools through gene manipulation and development of new drugs.
Highlights
Lectins are a complex group of proteins and/or glycoproteins of non-immune origin, possessing at least one non-catalytic domain which binds reversibly and to monosaccharides, oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates
Besides the carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD), which is highly conserved in each type of lectin [4], specificity occurs throughout a series of weak chemical interactions [5,6,7]
The diversity of biological activities conferred by lectin-carbohydrate binding, as well as the molecular structure and specificity of lectins, means that these proteins form a large and heterogeneous group [1,8,9]
Summary
Lectins are a complex group of proteins and/or glycoproteins of non-immune origin, possessing at least one non-catalytic domain which binds reversibly and to monosaccharides, oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates. These proteins have been named agglutinins or hemagglutinins and are found as monomers, homo- and heterodimers, as well as homo- and heterotetramer molecules, and they are widely distributed in Nature. This work focuses on a review of plant and animal lectin distribution, function and structural characterization, highlighting their functional role in host defense and their further application in the development of biotechnological tools
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