Structure of a lectin from Canavalia gladiata seeds: new structural insights for old molecules
Delatorre, P., Rocha, B.A.M., Souza, E.P., Oliveira, T.M., Bezerra, G.A., Moreno, F.B.M.B., Freitas, B.T., Santi-Gadelha, T., Sampaio, A.H., Azevedo Jr., W.F., Cavada, B.S.(2007) BMC Struct Biol 7: 52-52
- PubMed: 17683532 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6807-7-52
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
1WUV, 2D7F - PubMed Abstract: 
Lectins are mainly described as simple carbohydrate-binding proteins. Previous studies have tried to identify other binding sites, which possible recognize plant hormones, secondary metabolites, and isolated amino acid residues. We report the crystal structure of a lectin isolated from Canavalia gladiata seeds (CGL), describing a new binding pocket, which may be related to pathogen resistance activity in ConA-like lectins; a site where a non-protein amino-acid, alpha-aminobutyric acid (Abu), is bound.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Ceará, Brazil. plinio@urca.br