Phylogenetic Analysis of the Vertebrate Galectin Family (original) (raw)
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Journal of Biological Chemistry, 1996
The detailed characterization of a galectin from the toad (Bufo arenarum Hensel) ovary in its primary structure, carbohydrate specificity, and overall biochemical properties has provided novel information pertaining to structural and evolutionary aspects of the galectin family. The lectin consists of identical single-chain polypeptide subunits composed of 134 amino acids (calculated mass, 14,797 daltons), and its N-terminal residue, alanine, is N-acetylated. When compared to the sequences of known galectins, the B. arenarum galectin exhibited the highest identity (48% for the whole molecule and 77% for the carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD)) with the bovine spleen galectin-1, but surprisingly less identity (38% for the whole molecule and 47% for the CRD) with a galectin from Xenopus laevis skin (Marschal, P.,
Journal of Biological Chemistry, 1996
The detailed characterization of a galectin from the toad (Bufo arenarum Hensel) ovary in its primary structure, carbohydrate specificity, and overall biochemical properties has provided novel information pertaining to structural and evolutionary aspects of the galectin family. The lectin consists of identical single-chain polypeptide subunits composed of 134 amino acids (calculated mass, 14,797 daltons), and its N-terminal residue, alanine, is N-acetylated. When compared to the sequences of known galectins, the B. arenarum galectin exhibited the highest identity (48% for the whole molecule and 77% for the carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD)) with the bovine spleen galectin-1, but surprisingly less identity (38% for the whole molecule and 47% for the CRD) with a galectin from Xenopus laevis skin (Marschal, P.,
Galectins. Structure and function of a large family of animal lectins
Journal of Biological Chemistry, 1994
Lectins are proteins that bind to specific carbohydrate structures and can thus recognize particular glycoconjugates among the vast array expressed in animal'tissues. Most animal lectins can be classified into four distinct families (1): C-type lectins (including the selectins); P-type lectins; pentraxins; and galectins (2), formerly known as S-type or S-Lac lectins (1). The purpose of this short review is to provide a framework for integrating the rapid increase in knowledge of the diversity, structure, and function of the galectins. While the emphasis here is on mammalian galectins, important advances are also being made in studies of galectins in other species, including nematode (3) and sponge (4). * This minireview will be reprinted in the Minireview Compendium, which will be available in December, 1994. The molecular gra hics images were produced using the Midasplus, FtibbonJr, Neon, and Ilagel programs from the Computer Gra
Molecular Biology and Evolution, 2007
Recently, many cases of rapid adaptive evolution, which is characterized by the higher substitution rates of nonsynonymous substitutions to synonymous ones, have been identified in the various genes of venomous and biodefense proteins, including the conger eel galectins, congerins I and II (ConI and ConII). To understand the evolutionary process of congerins, we prepared a probable ancestral form, Con-anc, corresponding to the putative amino acid sequence at the divergence of ConI and ConII in phylogenetic tree with 76% and 61% sequence identities to the current proteins, respectively. Con-anc and ConII had comparable thermostability and similar carbohydrate specificities in general, whereas ConI was more thermostable and showed different carbohydrate specificities. Con-anc showed decreased specificity to oligosaccharides with alpha 2,3-sialyl galactose moieties. These suggest that ConI and ConII have evolved via accelerated evolution under significant selective pressure to increase the thermostability and to acquire the activity to bind to a2,3-sialyl galactose present in pathogenic bacteria, respectively. Furthermore, comparative mutagenesis analyses of Con-anc and congerins revealed the structural basis for specific recognition of ConII to a2,3-sialyl galactose moiety, and strong binding ability of ConI to oligosaccharides including lacto-N-biosyl (Galb1-3GlcNAc) or lacto-N-neobiosyl (Galb1-4GlcNAc) residues, respectively. Thus, protein engineering using a probable ancestral form presented here is a powerful approach not only to determine the evolutionary process but also to investigate the structure-activity relationships of proteins.
Journal of Molecular Biology, 2002
The crystal structure of congerin II, a galectin family lectin from conger eel, was determined at 1.45 Å resolution. The previously determined structure of its isoform, congerin I, had revealed a fold evolution via strand swap; however, the structure of congerin II described here resembles other prototype galectins. A comparison of the two congerin genes with that of several other galectins suggests acceralated evolution of both congerin genes following gene duplication. The presence of a Mes (2-[N-morpholino]ethanesulfonic acid) molecule near the carbohydrate-binding site in the crystal structure points to the possibility of an additional binding site in congerin II. The binding site consists of a group of residues that had been replaced following gene duplication suggesting that the binding site was built under selective pressure. Congerin II may be a protein specialized for biological defense with an affinity for target carbohydrates on parasites' cell surface.
Description of a monomeric prototype galectin from the lizard Podarcis hispanica
Glycobiology, 2000
Galectins are a continuously expanding family of β-galactosidebinding lectins present in a variety of evolutionarily divergent animal species. Here we report, for the first time, that expression of galectins extends to the reptilia lineage of lizards. Up to five lactose-binding proteins were isolated from the lizard Podarcis hispanica by affinity chromatography on asialofetuin-Sepharose. The main component, which is most abundantly expressed in skin, was purified from this tissue and further characterized. Under native conditions the protein behaved as a monomer with a molecular mass of 14,500 Da and an isoelectric point of 6.3. Based on sequence homology of the 58 N-terminal amino acid residues with galectins, and on its demonstrated galactoside-binding activity, this lectin we named LG-14 (from Lizard Galectin and 14 kDa) is classified as a new member of the galectin family.
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 2008
Galectins, a family of ß-galactoside-binding proteins, participate in a variety of biological processes, such as early development, tissue organization, immune regulation, and tumor evasion and metastasis. Although as many as fifteen bona fide galectins have been identified in mammals, but the detailed mechanisms of their biological roles still remain unclear for most. This fragmentary knowledge extends to galectin-like proteins such as the rat lens crystallin protein GRIFIN (Galectin related inter fiber protein) and the galectin-related protein GRP (previously HSPC159; hematopoietic stem cell precursor) that lack carbohydrate-binding activity. Their inclusion in the galectin family has been debated, as they are considered products of evolutionary co-option. We have identified a homologue of the GRIFIN in zebrafish (Danio rerio) (designated DrGRIFIN), which like the mammalian equivalent is expressed in the lens, particularly in the fiber cells, as revealed by whole mount in situ hybridization and immunostaining of 2 dpf (days post fertilization) embryos. As evidenced by RT-PCR, it is weakly expressed in the embryos as early as 21 hpf (hour post fertilization) but strongly at all later stages tested (30 hpf and 3, 4, 6, and 7 dpf). In adult zebrafish tissues, however, DrGRIFIN is also expressed in oocyte, brain, and intestine. Unlike the mammalian homologue, DrGRIFIN contains all amino acids critical for binding to carbohydrate ligands and its activity was confirmed as the recombinant DrGRIFIN could be purified to homogeneity by affinity chromatography on a lactosyl-Sepharose column. Therefore, DrGRIFIN is a bona fide galectin family member that in addition to its carbohydrate-binding properties, may also function as a crystallin. Keywords galectin; GRIFIN; zebrafish; Danio rerio; carbohydrate recognition domain; lens crystallin Complex carbohydrate structures modulate interactions between cells or between cells and the extracellular matrix by specifically binding to cell surface-associated or soluble carbohydratebinding receptors [1]. Among these, galectins, formerly known as S-type lectins, are ßgalactoside-binding proteins that have been proposed to participate in a variety of biological processes, such as early development, tissue organization, immune functions, host-parasite interactions, tumor evasion and cancer metastasis [2-7]. However, the detailed mechanisms of their biological roles still remain unclear. Based on structural features, galectins have been classified in three types: proto, chimera, and tandem-repeat [8]. Prototype galectins contain one carbohydrate-recognition domain (CRD) per subunit and are usually homodimers of
Deep phylogenomics of a tandem-repeat galectin regulating appendicular skeletal pattern formation
BMC evolutionary biology, 2016
A multiscale network of two galectins Galectin-1 (Gal-1) and Galectin-8 (Gal-8) patterns the avian limb skeleton. Among vertebrates with paired appendages, chondrichthyan fins typically have one or more cartilage plates and many repeating parallel endoskeletal elements, actinopterygian fins have more varied patterns of nodules, bars and plates, while tetrapod limbs exhibit tandem arrays of few, proximodistally increasing numbers of elements. We applied a comparative genomic and protein evolution approach to understand the origin of the galectin patterning network. Having previously observed a phylogenetic constraint on Gal-1 structure across vertebrates, we asked whether evolutionary changes of Gal-8 could have critically contributed to the origin of the tetrapod pattern. Translocations, duplications, and losses of Gal-8 genes in Actinopterygii established them in different genomic locations from those that the Sarcopterygii (including the tetrapods) share with chondrichthyans. The ...