Lectins
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 21, 2026

A Lectin HPLC Method to Enrich Selectively-glycosylated Peptides from Complex Biological Samples
Published on: October 1, 2009
1Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560 012, India. mv@mbu.iisc.ernet.in
Abstract:
Lectins - carbohydrate-binding proteins involved in a variety of recognition processes - exhibit considerable structural diversity. Three new lectin folds and further elaborations of known folds have been described recently. Large variability in quaternary association resulting from small alterations in essentially the same tertiary structure is a property exhibited specially by legume lectins. The strategies used by lectins to generate carbohydrate specificity include the extensive use of water bridges, post-translational modification and oligomerization. Recent results pertaining to influenza and foot-and-mouth viruses further elaborate the role of lectins in infection.
Related Concept Videos
Receptor-mediated Endocytosis
Fibronectins Connect Cells with ECM
Both proteoglycans and collagen are attached to fibronectin proteins, which, in turn, are attached to integrin proteins. These integrin proteins interact with transmembrane...
Laminins are the Adhesive Proteins of Basal Lamina
In humans, the five forms of alpha chains are LAMA 1, LAMA 2, LAMA 3, LAMA 4, and LAMA 5. The four forms of beta chains are LAMB 1, LAMB 2, LAMB 3, and LAMB 4. The three forms of gamma...
Integrins
Some ECM proteins assemble into a basement membrane to which the remaining components adhere. Proteoglycans typically form the bulk of the ECM while fibrous proteins, like collagen,...
Activation of Integrins
In "outside-in signaling," external factors in the extracellular space bind to exposed ligand binding sites on integrins. This causes the inactive protein to undergo a conformational change to become active. Integrins are often clustered on the cell membrane. Repetitive and regularly spaced ligand binding events provide an effective stimulus.
Selectins

