Sengupta S, Singh S, Sengupta L K, Bisen P S
Department of Microbiology, Barkatullah University, Bhopal, India.
Indian J Exp Biol. 1997 Feb;35(2):103-10.
Lectins are structurally diverse, carbohydrate binding proteins that bind reversibly to specific mono- or oligosaccharides. Their abundance in the plant kingdom suggest that they have diverse roles to perform. They serve as recognition factor between symbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria and host plants, as a deterrent to phytopathogens like fungi, insects, and animals, as storage protein and as an aid in sexual reproduction in Chlamydomonas, amongst others. The possible application of lectins as a factor in increasing soil fertility and as a biopesticide by genetically engineered organisms is yet to be fully explored by the biotechnologists. However, they are being used by the biomedical scientists and biochemists in blood typing and stimulation of cells for chromosome analysis and gene mapping, in cell separation, identification of complex glycoproteins and typing of bacteria. Cell targeting by lectins in cancer therapy is still in its infancy. This review gives an insight into the potential of these wonder biomolecules in agriculture, biochemistry, cell biology and medicine for the benefit of mankind.
凝集素是结构多样的碳水化合物结合蛋白，能与特定的单糖或寡糖可逆性结合。它们在植物界的广泛存在表明其具有多种功能。它们可作为共生固氮细菌与宿主植物之间的识别因子，作为对真菌、昆虫和动物等植物病原体的威慑物，作为储存蛋白，并在衣藻的有性生殖中发挥辅助作用等。作为通过基因工程生物提高土壤肥力的一个因素以及作为生物农药，凝集素的潜在应用尚未得到生物技术专家的充分探索。然而，生物医学科学家和生物化学家正在将它们用于血型鉴定、刺激细胞进行染色体分析和基因定位、细胞分离、复杂糖蛋白的鉴定以及细菌分型。凝集素在癌症治疗中的细胞靶向作用仍处于起步阶段。这篇综述深入探讨了这些神奇生物分子在农业、生物化学、细胞生物学和医学领域造福人类的潜力。
