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Review
. 2021;46(4):104.
doi: 10.1007/s12038-021-00225-8.

Research advances and prospects of legume lectins

Rajan Katoch  1 , Ankur Tripathi
Affiliations
Review

Research advances and prospects of legume lectins

Rajan Katoch et al. J Biosci. 2021.

Abstract

Lectins are widely distributed proteins having ability of binding selectively and reversibly with carbohydrates moieties and glycoconjugates. Although lectins have been reported from different biological sources, the legume lectins are the best-characterized family of plant lectins. Legume lectins are a large family of homologous proteins with considerable similarity in amino acid sequence and their tertiary structures. Despite having strong sequence conservation, these lectins show remarkable variability in carbohydrate specificity and quaternary structures. The ability of legume lectins in recognizing glycans and glycoconjugates on cells and other intracellular structures make them a valuable research tool in glycomic research. Due to variability in binding with glycans, glycoconjugates and multiple biological functions, legume lectins are the subject of intense research for their diverse application in different fields such as glycobiology, biomedical research and crop improvement. The present review specially focuses on structural and functional characteristics of legume lectins along with their potential areas of application.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Lectin mediated signalling in plant defense. (The binding of lectin domains with PAMP’s or DAMP’s at cell surface starts an intracellular signaling pathway, which includes downstream proteins phosphorylation cascade, activation of transcription factors, and ultimately regulation of stress-responsive genes. Nucleocytoplasmic lectins bind with intracellular effectors and generate defense response).
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) Tertiary structure of Vigna unguiculata lectin; (b) carbohydrate binding loops in dimeric structure of Vigna unguiculata lectin and corresponding amino acid sequence of each loop (Conserved amino acid residues in each loop are underlined).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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