Biomaterial Database

Tick lectins: structural and functional properties. 2004

L Grubhoffer, and V Kovár, and N Rudenko

Institute of Parasitology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, University of South Bohemia, Branisovská 31, 370 05 Ceské Budijovice, Czech Republic. liborex@paru.cas.cz

Few papers have been published on tick lectins so far, and therefore more data are needed to complete the mosaic of knowledge of their structural and functional properties. Tissue-specific lectin/haemagglutinin activities of both soft and hard ticks have been investigated. Some tick lectins are proteins with binding affinity for sialic acid, various derivatives of hexosamines and different glycoconjugates. Most tick lectin/haemagglutinin activities are blood meal enhanced, and could serve as molecular factors of self/non-self recognition in defence reactions against bacteria or fungi, as well as in pathogen/parasite transmission. Dorin M, the plasma lectin of Ornithodoros moubata, is the first tick lectin purified so far from tick haemolymph, and the first that has been fully characterized. Partial characterization of other tick lectins/haemagglutinins has been performed mainly with respect to their carbohydrate binding specificities and immunochemical features.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D006458	Hemolymph	The blood/lymphlike nutrient fluid of some invertebrates.	Hemolymphs
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001179	Arthropod Vectors	Arthropods, other than insects and arachnids, which transmit infective organisms from one host to another or from an inanimate reservoir to an animate host.	Arthropod Vector,Vector, Arthropod,Vectors, Arthropod
D012469	Salivary Glands	Glands that secrete SALIVA in the MOUTH. There are three pairs of salivary glands (PAROTID GLAND; SUBLINGUAL GLAND; SUBMANDIBULAR GLAND).	Gland, Salivary,Glands, Salivary,Salivary Gland
D013987	Ticks	Blood-sucking acarid parasites of the order Ixodida comprising two families: the softbacked ticks (ARGASIDAE) and hardbacked ticks (IXODIDAE). Ticks are larger than their relatives, the MITES. They penetrate the skin of their host by means of highly specialized, hooked mouth parts and feed on its blood. Ticks attack all groups of terrestrial vertebrates. In humans they are responsible for many TICK-BORNE DISEASES, including the transmission of ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER; TULAREMIA; BABESIOSIS; AFRICAN SWINE FEVER; and RELAPSING FEVER. (From Barnes, Invertebrate Zoology, 5th ed, pp543-44)	Ixodida,Ixodidas,Tick
D041981	Gastrointestinal Tract	Generally refers to the digestive structures stretching from the MOUTH to ANUS, but does not include the accessory glandular organs (LIVER; BILIARY TRACT; PANCREAS).	Digestive Tract,GI Tract,Digestive Tracts,GI Tracts,Gastrointestinal Tracts
D037102	Lectins	Proteins that share the common characteristic of binding to carbohydrates. Some ANTIBODIES and carbohydrate-metabolizing proteins (ENZYMES) also bind to carbohydrates, however they are not considered lectins. PLANT LECTINS are carbohydrate-binding proteins that have been primarily identified by their hemagglutinating activity (HEMAGGLUTININS). However, a variety of lectins occur in animal species where they serve diverse array of functions through specific carbohydrate recognition.	Animal Lectin,Animal Lectins,Isolectins,Lectin,Isolectin,Lectin, Animal,Lectins, Animal