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Lectins and their application to clinical microbiology
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15212.
Clinical Microbiology Reviews
|July 1, 1990
Summary
Lectins, proteins that bind carbohydrates, are valuable diagnostic reagents in clinical microbiology. They enable rapid identification and differentiation of microorganisms, offering cost-effective solutions for various applications.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Microbiology
- Immunology
Background:
- Lectins are proteins known for their selective binding to carbohydrates.
- Microbial surfaces are rich in carbohydrate structures that interact with lectins.
- Current applications include blood typing and cell fractionation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the diverse applications of lectins in clinical microbiology.
- To highlight lectins as diagnostic reagents for microorganism identification.
- To explore the potential of lectins in various microbiological disciplines.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on lectin applications in clinical microbiology.
- Analysis of lectin specificity for different carbohydrate structures.
- Examination of lectin use in bacteriology, mycology, mycobacteriology, and virology.
Main Results:
- Lectins demonstrate specificities for various carbohydrates, including sialic acids and hexoses.
- Lectins are effective in identifying and differentiating microorganisms directly from clinical specimens.
- Successful application of lectins as epidemiologic and taxonomic markers for microorganisms.
Conclusions:
- Lectins are important diagnostic reagents in clinical microbiology.
- They offer cost-effective and potential solutions for microorganism identification and differentiation.
- Lectins have broad applicability across various fields of microbiology.