Lectins and Cellular Signaling

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Villalobo, Antonio

Affiliations: Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, c/ Arturo Duperier 4, E-28029 Madrid, Spain

Note: [] Address for correspondence: A. Villalobo Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas  and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid c/ Arturo Duperier 4 E-28029 Madrid, Spain. e-mail: antonio.villalobo@iib.uam.es Tel: 91 585 4600 FAX: 91 585 4587

Abstract: The posttranslational N- and O-glycosylation of proteins and the recognition of their glycosylated moieties by endogenous lectins play important physiological roles in animal cells. These processes are ubiquitous in the animal kingdom, and have been observed from the lowest nematode to man. After a lectin specifically recognizes a glycoligand, the cellular machinery transfers that information to their different targets to attain specific cellular responses through a network of signaling pathways. In this short assay, the involvement of lectins in signaling processes, the modification of the binding activity of lectins by precise signaling systems, and the possible role of lectins recognizing O-glycosylated intracellular proteins as recruitment sites to initiate new signaling events, will be discussed.

Keywords: Cellular signaling, lectins, protein glycosylation, protein phosphorylation

Journal: Electronic Journal of Pathology and Histology, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 03-03, 2001