Publication Abstract from PubMed
Galectins are a family of lectins which share similar carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs) and affinity for small beta-galactosides, but which show significant differences in binding specificity for more complex glycoconjugates. We report here the x-ray crystal structure of the human galectin-3 CRD, in complex with lactose and N-acetyllactosamine, at 2.1-A resolution. This structure represents the first example of a CRD determined from a galectin which does not show the canonical 2-fold symmetric dimer organization. Comparison with the published structures of galectins-1 and -2 provides an explanation for the differences in carbohydrate-binding specificity shown by galectin-3, and for the fact that it fails to form dimers by analogous CRD-CRD interactions.
X-ray crystal structure of the human galectin-3 carbohydrate recognition domain at 2.1-A resolution.,Seetharaman J, Kanigsberg A, Slaaby R, Leffler H, Barondes SH, Rini JM J Biol Chem. 1998 May 22;273(21):13047-52. PMID:9582341[1]
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
