Humoral and cell membrane-associated lectins from invertebrates and lower chordates: specificity, molecular characterization and their structural relationships with putative recognition molecules from vertebrates.

Based on their carbohydrate-binding properties and their ubiquitous presence in pro- and eukaryotes, recognition functions have been hypothesized for many humoral and tissue lectins. In this review three main topics relevant to the possible biological roles and evolution of invertebrate and chordate lectins are discussed. They include the broad carbohydrate-binding spectrum of lectins from chelicerata, the distribution and specificity of cell membrane-associated lectins in mollusks and the serological and biochemical characterization of lectins from tunicates and their structural relationships with putative non-self recognition molecules from vertebrates.