title: Characterization of a novel Drosophila melanogaster galectin. Expression in developing immune, neural, and muscle tissues.
abstract: We have cloned and characterized the first galectin to be identified in Drosophila melanogaster. The amino acid sequence of Drosophila galectin showed striking sequence similarity to invertebrate and vertebrate galectins and contained amino acids that are crucial for binding beta-galactoside sugars. Confirming its identity as a galectin family member, the Drosophila galectin bound beta-galactoside sugars. Structurally, the Drosophila galectin was a tandem repeat galectin containing two carbohydrate recognition domains connected by a unique peptide link. This divalent structure suggests that like mammalian galectins, Drosophila galectin may mediate cell-cell communication or facilitate cross-linking of receptors to trigger signal transduction events. The Drosophila galectin was very abundant in embryonic, larval, and adult Drosophila. During embryogenesis, Drosophila galectin had a unique and specific tissue distribution. Drosophila galectin expression was concentrated in somatic and visceral musculature and in the central nervous system. Similar to other insect lectins, Drosophila galectin may function in both embryogenesis and in host defense. Drosophila galectin was expressed by hemocytes, circulating phagocytic cells, suggesting a role for Drosophila galectin in the innate immune system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Karen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Pace
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lebestky
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hummel
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arnoux
authors.forename: Kent
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kwan
authors.forename: Linda G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Baum
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000254:growth & development*; D037161:Galectins; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D037161:Galectins; C105032:LGALS9 protein, human; D037102:Lectins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins