title: Marine sponge lectins: actual status on properties and biological activities.
abstract: Marine sponges are primitive metazoans that produce a wide variety of molecules that protect them against predators. In studies that search for bioactive molecules, these marine invertebrates stand out as promising sources of new biologically-active molecules, many of which are still unknown or little studied; thus being an unexplored biotechnological resource of high added value. Among these molecules, lectins are proteins that reversibly bind to carbohydrates without modifying them. In this review, various structural features and biological activities of lectins derived from marine sponges so far described in the scientific literature are discussed. From the results found in the literature, it could be concluded that lectins derived from marine sponges are structurally diverse proteins with great potential for application in the production of biopharmaceuticals, especially as antibacterial and antitumor agents.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Proteômica Estrutural, Departamento de Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Cidade Universitária, João Pessoa, PB CEP 58059-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sandro Mascena
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gomes Filho
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Proteômica Estrutural, Departamento de Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Cidade Universitária, João Pessoa, PB CEP 58059-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juscélio Donizete
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde do Trairi, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Centro, Santa Cruz, RN CEP 5900000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Katya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Anaya
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Proteômica Estrutural, Departamento de Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Cidade Universitária, João Pessoa, PB CEP 58059-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Edilza
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Silva do Nascimento
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Proteômica Estrutural, Departamento de Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Cidade Universitária, João Pessoa, PB CEP 58059-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Thalles Jucelino Gomes
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: de Lacerda
authors.affiliation: Engenharia de Pesca, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Avenida Marechal Rondon, s/nº, São Cristóvão, SE CEP 49100000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mioso
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Proteômica Estrutural, Departamento de Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Cidade Universitária, João Pessoa, PB CEP 58059-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tatiane
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Santi Gadelha
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Proteômica Estrutural, Departamento de Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Cidade Universitária, João Pessoa, PB CEP 58059-900, Brazil. calbgadelha@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: de Almeida Gadelha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001709:Biotechnology; D037102:Lectins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008386:Marine Biology; D011161:Porifera / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D037102:Lectins