Helianthus tuberosus lectin reveals a widespread scaffold for mannose-binding lectins.
Bourne, Y., Zamboni, V., Barre, A., Peumans, W.J., Van Damme, E.J., Rouge, P.(1999) Structure 7: 1473-1482
- PubMed: 10647178 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0969-2126(00)88338-0
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
1C3K, 1C3M, 1C3N - PubMed Abstract: 
Heltuba, a tuber lectin from the Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus, belongs to the mannose-binding subgroup of the family of jacalin-related plant lectins. Heltuba is highly specific for the disaccharides Man alpha 1-3Man or Man alpha 1-2Man, two carbohydrates that are particularly abundant in the glycoconjugates exposed on the surface of viruses, bacteria and fungi, and on the epithelial cells along the gastrointestinal tract of lower animals. Heltuba is therefore a good candidate as a defense protein against plant pathogens or predators.
Organizational Affiliation: 
AFMB-CNRS, Marseille, France. yves@afmb.cnrs-mrs.fr