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Updated: Apr 21, 2026
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Bioinformatics Resources for the Study of Glycan-Mediated Protein Interactions
Published on: January 20, 2022
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Sponge Galectins: Structure, Evolution, and Function.
Andressa Rocha de Oliveira Sousa1, Jessica de Assis Duarte Ferreira da Ponte1, Alexandre Holanda Sampaio1
1Laboratório de Biotecnologia Marinha-BioMar-Lab, Departamento de Engenharia de Pesca, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici s/n, Bloco 871, 60440-970 Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
ACS Omega
|April 20, 2026
Summary
Sponge galectins, found in early animals, show unique structures and functions. Further research into these marine lectins could unlock new biotechnological applications.
Area of Science:
- Marine biology
- Biochemistry
- Evolutionary biology
Background:
- Marine organisms are rich in diverse bioactive molecules, including lectins.
- Galectins, a lectin family binding β-galactosides, are vital in animal physiology.
- Sponges, as early metazoans, offer insights into lectin evolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review structural and biochemical data on sponge galectins.
- To compare sponge galectins with vertebrate counterparts.
- To explore the biotechnological potential of sponge galectins.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of structural and biochemical characterizations.
- Comparative analysis of primary and predicted tertiary structures.
- Discussion of evolutionary and functional implications.
Main Results:
- Eight sponge species are known to produce galectins.
- Limited experimental three-dimensional (3D) structures are available for sponge galectins.
- Sponge galectins exhibit structural variability compared to vertebrate galectins.
Conclusions:
- Sponge galectins are evolutionarily significant with unique properties.
- Scarcity of structural data hinders understanding of sponge galectin evolution and function.
- Further characterization may reveal novel biotechnological applications.
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