Multivalent protein - Carbohydrate interactions. A new paradigm for supermolecular assembly and signal transduction

J. C. Sacchettini, L. G. Baum, C. F. Brewer

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

285 Scopus citations

Abstract

Many biological recognition processes involve the binding and clustering of ligand - receptor complexes and concomitant signal transduction events. Such interactions have recently been observed in human T cells in which binding and cross-linking of specific glycoprotein counter-receptors on the surface of the cells by an endogenous bivalent carbohydrate binding protein (galectin-1) leads to apoptosis [Pace, K. E., et al. (1999) J. Immunol. 163, 3801-3811]. Importantly, different counter-receptors associated with specific phosphatase or kinase activities were shown to form separate clusters on the surface of the cells as a result of galectin-1 binding to the carbohydrate moieties of the respective glycoproteins. This suggests that the unique separation and organization of signaling molecules that results from galectin-1 binding is involved in delivering the signal to die. The ability of galectin-1 to induce the separation of specific glycoprotein receptors was modeled on the basis of molecular and structural studies of the binding of multivalent carbohydrates to lectins that result in the formation of specific two- and three-dimensional cross-linked lattices. These latter studies have been recently highlighted by X-ray crystallographic results showing that a single tetravalent lectin forms distinct cross-linked complexes with four different bivalent oligosaccharides [Olsen, L. R., et al. (1997) Biochemistry 36, 15073-15080]. In this report, binding and cross-linking of multivalent carbohydrates with multivalent lectins is shown to be a new paradigm for supermolecular assembly and signal transduction in biological systems.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)3009-3015
Number of pages7
JournalBiochemistry
Volume40
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 13 2001

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biochemistry

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Multivalent protein - Carbohydrate interactions. A new paradigm for supermolecular assembly and signal transduction'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this