Lectins and ELLSA as powerful tools for glycoconjugate recognition analyses

• Published in: Glycoconjugate journal Vol. 36; no. 2; pp. 175 - 183
• Main Authors: Wu, Albert M., Liu, Jia Hau
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.04.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Glycoconjugates; Glycomics - methods; Humans; Lectins; Lectins - chemistry; Lectins - metabolism; Life Sciences; Mini-Review; Molecular Probe Techniques; Pathology; Polysaccharides; Polysaccharides - chemistry; Polysaccharides - metabolism; Protein Binding; Lectin–glycan interactions; Glycotopes (epitopes); Glycan recognition; Applied lectins; Polyvalency of glycotopes
• ISSN: 0282-0080; 1573-4986
• DOI: 10.1007/s10719-019-09865-3

Lectins, in combination with our established enzyme-linked lectin sorbent assay (ELLSA) and inhibition study, have been used as powerful tools in many glycoconjugate recognition studies. In this short review, we highlight the following: (i) The recognition profiles of Gal/GalNAc-specific lectins were updated and upgraded. (ii) Based on the cross-specificities of applied lectins, a new classification system was introduced. (iii) Applications of lectins for the detection and identification of N -glycan and/or Tn glycotope in glycoconjugates were intergraded. (iv) The polyvalency of the glycotopes in glycans was found to play a critical role in glycan–lectin recognition. This is an unexplored area of glycobiology and one of the most promising directions toward the coming glycoscience transformation.