Can Plant Lectins Help to Elucidate Insect Lectin-Mediated Immune Response?
Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins that recognize and selectively bind to specific sugar structures. This group of proteins is widespread in plants, animals, and microorganisms, and exerts a broad range of functions. Many plant lectins were identified as exogenous stimuli of vertebrate immuni...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Insects |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/6/497 |
| _version_ | 1797532504960270336 |
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| author | Pengyu Chen Kristof De Schutter Els J. M. Van Damme Guy Smagghe |
| author_facet | Pengyu Chen Kristof De Schutter Els J. M. Van Damme Guy Smagghe |
| author_sort | Pengyu Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins that recognize and selectively bind to specific sugar structures. This group of proteins is widespread in plants, animals, and microorganisms, and exerts a broad range of functions. Many plant lectins were identified as exogenous stimuli of vertebrate immunity. Despite being the largest and most diverse taxon on earth, the study of lectins and their functions in insects is lagging behind. In insects, research on lectins and their biological importance has mainly focused on the C-type lectin (CTL) family, limiting our global understanding of the function of insect lectins and their role in insect immunity. In contrast, plant lectins have been well characterized and the immunomodulatory effects of several plant lectins have been documented extensively in vertebrates. This information could complement the missing knowledge on endogenous insect lectins and contribute to understanding of the processes and mechanisms by which lectins participate in insect immunity. This review summarizes existing studies of immune responses stimulated by endogenous or exogenous lectins. Understanding how lectins modulate insect immune responses can provide insight which, in turn, can help to elaborate novel ideas applicable for the protection of beneficial insects and the development of novel pest control strategies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:00:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-126427e024e84be3bd542b035cedfb9a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4450 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:00:09Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Insects |
| spelling | doaj.art-126427e024e84be3bd542b035cedfb9a2023-11-21T21:33:20ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502021-05-0112649710.3390/insects12060497Can Plant Lectins Help to Elucidate Insect Lectin-Mediated Immune Response?Pengyu Chen0Kristof De Schutter1Els J. M. Van Damme2Guy Smagghe3Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumLectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins that recognize and selectively bind to specific sugar structures. This group of proteins is widespread in plants, animals, and microorganisms, and exerts a broad range of functions. Many plant lectins were identified as exogenous stimuli of vertebrate immunity. Despite being the largest and most diverse taxon on earth, the study of lectins and their functions in insects is lagging behind. In insects, research on lectins and their biological importance has mainly focused on the C-type lectin (CTL) family, limiting our global understanding of the function of insect lectins and their role in insect immunity. In contrast, plant lectins have been well characterized and the immunomodulatory effects of several plant lectins have been documented extensively in vertebrates. This information could complement the missing knowledge on endogenous insect lectins and contribute to understanding of the processes and mechanisms by which lectins participate in insect immunity. This review summarizes existing studies of immune responses stimulated by endogenous or exogenous lectins. Understanding how lectins modulate insect immune responses can provide insight which, in turn, can help to elaborate novel ideas applicable for the protection of beneficial insects and the development of novel pest control strategies.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/6/497insect lectinplant lectininnate immunitycellular immunityhumoral immunityC-type lectin |
| spellingShingle | Pengyu Chen Kristof De Schutter Els J. M. Van Damme Guy Smagghe Can Plant Lectins Help to Elucidate Insect Lectin-Mediated Immune Response? Insects insect lectin plant lectin innate immunity cellular immunity humoral immunity C-type lectin |
| title | Can Plant Lectins Help to Elucidate Insect Lectin-Mediated Immune Response? |
| title_full | Can Plant Lectins Help to Elucidate Insect Lectin-Mediated Immune Response? |
| title_fullStr | Can Plant Lectins Help to Elucidate Insect Lectin-Mediated Immune Response? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can Plant Lectins Help to Elucidate Insect Lectin-Mediated Immune Response? |
| title_short | Can Plant Lectins Help to Elucidate Insect Lectin-Mediated Immune Response? |
| title_sort | can plant lectins help to elucidate insect lectin mediated immune response |
| topic | insect lectin plant lectin innate immunity cellular immunity humoral immunity C-type lectin |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/6/497 |
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