Lectins: More than Insecticides

In the article “Institute copes with genetic hot potato” by Martin Enserink (News of the Week, 21 Aug., p. [1124][1]), it is stated that lectins are a “huge family of insecticides that occur naturally in plants.” However, it is well known that lectins are a class of proteins that bind sugars specifically and reversibly ([1][2]). Lectins are ubiquitous not only in plants but also in animals and microorganisms, their main biological function being cell recognition ([2][3]). Microbial lectins, such as the influenza virus hemagglutinin or the fimbriae of Escherichia coli and Helicobacter pylori , mediate the adhesion of these organisms to host cells and thus play a key role in the initiation of infection. In animals, the selectins control the migration of leukocytes to sites of inflammation, while other lectins are involved in innate immunity. No wonder there is considerable interest in potential therapeutic strategies to block carbohydrate binding by these different lectins, in the hope of developing novel antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs. The role of plant lectins is, however, still an enigma and, although some have been shown to be toxic to insects ([3][4]), to refer to these proteins as insecticides is misleading 1. [↵][5]1. I. J. Goldstein 2. et al. , Nature 285, 66 (1980). [OpenUrl][6] 2. [↵][7]1. N. Sharon, 2. H. Lis , Science 246, 227 (1989); [OpenUrl][8][Abstract/FREE Full Text][9] 1. L. Stryer , Biochemistry (Freeman, New York, ed. 4, 1995), chap. 18, pp. 476-481. 3. [↵][10]1. E. J. M. Van Damme 2. et al. , Handbook of Plant Lectins: Properties and Biomedical Applications (Wiley, NewYork, 1997), p. 31. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.281.5380.1124b [2]: #ref-1 [3]: #ref-2 [4]: #ref-3 [5]: #xref-ref-1-1 View reference 1 in text [6]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DNature%26rft.volume%253D285%26rft.spage%253D66%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [7]: #xref-ref-2-1 View reference 2 in text [8]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DScience%26rft.stitle%253DScience%26rft.aulast%253DSharon%26rft.auinit1%253DN%26rft.volume%253D246%26rft.issue%253D4927%26rft.spage%253D227%26rft.epage%253D234%26rft.atitle%253DLectins%2Bas%2Bcell%2Brecognition%2Bmolecules%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1126%252Fscience.2552581%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F2552581%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [9]: /lookup/ijlink/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6NDoiQUJTVCI7czoxMToiam91cm5hbENvZGUiO3M6Mzoic2NpIjtzOjU6InJlc2lkIjtzOjEyOiIyNDYvNDkyNy8yMjciO3M6NDoiYXRvbSI7czoyNToiL3NjaS8yODIvNTM5MS8xMDQ3LjUuYXRvbSI7fXM6ODoiZnJhZ21lbnQiO3M6MDoiIjt9 [10]: #xref-ref-3-1 View reference 3 in text