Structure of lectin: the carbohydrate binding protein
Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins that are highly specific for sugar groups that are part of other molecules, so cause agglutination of particular cells or precipitation of glycoconjugates and polysaccharides.
Lectins are ubiquitous in nature and are found in many foods. Some foods, such as beans and grains, need to be cooked, fermented or sprouted to reduce lectin content. Some lectins are beneficial, such as CLEC11A, which promotes bone growth, while others may be powerful toxins such as ricin
The first lectin to be purified on a large scale and available on a commercial basis was concanavalin A , which is now the most-
used lectin for characterization and purification of sugar containing molecules and cellular structures.