title: Distribution and evolution of the lectin family in soybean (Glycine max).
abstract: Lectins are a diverse group of proteins that bind specific carbohydrates and are found throughout all kingdoms. In plants, lectins are involved in a range of important processes such as plant defense and stress signaling. Although the genome sequence of Glycine max (soybean) has been published, little is known about the abundance and expansion patterns of lectin genes in soybean. Using BLAST and hidden Markov models, a total of 359 putative lectin genes have been identified. Furthermore, these sequences could be classified in nine of the twelve plant lectin families identified today. Analysis of the domain organization demonstrated that most of the identified lectin genes encode chimerolectins, consisting of one or multiple lectin domains combined with other known protein domains. Both tandem and segmental duplication events have contributed to the expansion of the lectin gene family. These data provide a detailed understanding of the domain architecture and molecular evolution of the lectin gene family in soybean.
authors: Laboratory of Biochemistry and Glycobiology, Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Sofie.VanHolle@ugent.be.
authors: Sofie
authors: S
authors: Van Holle
authors: Laboratory of Biochemistry and Glycobiology, Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. ElsJM.VanDamme@ugent.be.
authors: Els J M
authors: EJ
authors: Van Damme
mesh_terms: D002874:Chromosome Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D020440:Gene Duplication; D017343:Genes, Plant; D023281:Genomics / Q000379:methods; D005810:Multigene Family; D010802:Phylogeny; D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D013025:Glycine max / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D037121:Plant Lectins