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Mushroom lectins: specificity, structure and bioactivity relevant to human disease
Mohamed Ali Abol Hassan1, Razina Rouf2, Evelin Tiralongo3
1Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia. ali.abolhassan@griffithuni.edu.au.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|April 10, 2015
Summary
Mushroom lectins, proteins that bind sugars, show promising antitumor and immunomodulatory activities. This review explores their properties and potential applications, highlighting mushrooms as an untapped source of novel lectins.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Immunology
Background:
- Lectins are proteins with selective sugar-binding capabilities, vital in cellular processes like immunity and cancer.
- While plant lectins are well-studied, fungal lectins exhibit significant antitumor, antiproliferative, and immunomodulatory potential.
- Mushrooms represent a vast, underexplored reservoir of novel lectins due to limited species classification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the biochemical, molecular, and structural characteristics of mushroom lectins.
- To summarize the diverse applications and bioactivities of mushroom-derived lectins.
- To emphasize the potential of mushrooms as a source for novel lectin discovery.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing studies on mushroom lectins.
- Analysis of biochemical, molecular, and structural data.
- Compilation of reported bioactivities and applications.
Main Results:
- Mushroom lectins possess diverse biochemical and structural properties.
- Significant antitumor, antiproliferative, and immunomodulatory activities have been reported.
- Various applications in medicine and biotechnology are emerging.
Conclusions:
- Mushroom lectins are a promising area of research with significant therapeutic potential.
- Further exploration of mushroom species can yield novel lectins with unique bioactivities.
- Mushroom lectins offer versatile applications, particularly in cancer therapy and immunomodulation.
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