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Bioinformatics Resources for the Study of Glycan-Mediated Protein Interactions

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Mammalian galectins: structure, carbohydrate specificity, and functions.

E M Rapoport¹, O V Kurmyshkina, N V Bovin

¹Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia.

Biochemistry. Biokhimiia

|May 7, 2008

Summary

This review discusses galectins, which are beta-galactoside binding proteins. It covers their structure, specificity, and roles in cell adhesion, immunity, inflammation, and cancer.

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Area of Science:

Biochemistry
Immunology
Molecular Biology

Background:

Galectins are a conserved family of beta-galactoside-binding lectins.
They share homology in their carbohydrate-binding site sequences.
Galectins play diverse biological roles.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the literature on galectin structure and carbohydrate specificity.
To discuss the involvement of galectins in key biological processes.

Main Methods:

Literature review of scientific publications.
Analysis of data on galectin structure and function.

Main Results:

Detailed discussion of galectin structural features.
Elucidation of carbohydrate-binding specificities for various galectins.
Exploration of galectin involvement in cell adhesion regulation.
Examination of galectin roles in immune response and inflammation.
Consideration of galectin influence on cancer progression.

Conclusions:

Galectins exhibit diverse structures and specificities.
They are critical regulators of cell adhesion.
Galectins are implicated in immune responses, inflammation, and cancer.