The interaction of the bovine cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor with a variety of phosphorylated ligands has been studied using equilibrium dialysis and immobilized receptor to measure ligand binding. The dissociation constants for mannose 6-phosphate, pentamannose phosphate, bovine testes beta-galactosidase, and a high mannose oligosaccharide with two phosphomonoesters were 7 X 1...

The binding to mammalian cells of piliated enteric bacteria and the inhibition of the binding by antibodies to purified pili were studied. The target cells were epithelial cells from human bucca and human and rat urinary tracts, erythrocytes from various species, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. The strains were selected to represent the two main agglutination patterns of enteric bacteria: m...

Purpose: The mannose-binding lectin pathway of innate immunity is part of the first line of defense against microorganisms. Variations in mannose-binding lectin levels or activity are caused by single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the promoter region. Mannosebinding lectin may play a role as a phase reactant due to inflammatory processes related to cancer disease. Such inflammatory processes are ...

Polygonatum cyrtonema (P. cyrtonema) is a valuable rhizome-propagating traditional Chinese medical herb. Polysaccharides (PCPs) are the major bioactive constituents in P. cyrtonema. However, molecular basis of PCP biosynthesis remains unknown. In this study, we measured contents 11 wild germplasms. The results showed that content was highest Lishui Qingyuan (LSQY, 11.84%) and lowest Hangzhou Li...

The 300-kDa cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor (CI-MPR) plays a critical role in the trafficking of newly synthesized mannose 6-phosphate-containing acid hydrolases to the lysosome. The receptor contains two high affinity carbohydrate recognition sites within its 15-domain extracytoplasmic region, with essential residues for carbohydrate recognition located in domain 3 and domain 9...

Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) and ficolins are pattern recognition proteins acting in innate immunity, and they trigger the activation of the lectin complement pathway through MBL-associated serine proteases (MASPs). Upon activation of the lectin pathway, MASP-2 cleaves C4 and C2. A truncated form of MASP-2, named small MBL-associated protein (sMAP), is also associated with MBL/ficolin-MASP comp...

Sugar transporters are essential components of carbon metabolism and have been extensively studied to control sugar uptake by yeasts filamentous fungi used in fermentation processes. Based on published information characterized fungal porters, we show that this protein family encompasses phylogenetically distinct clades. While several clades encompass seemingly specialized specific “sugar-relat...

Many barnacle species are gregarious and their cypris larvae display a remarkable ability to explore surfaces before committing to permanent attachment. The chemical cue to gregarious settlement behaviour - the settlement-inducing protein complex (SIPC) - is an α(2)-macroglobulin-like glycoprotein. This cuticular protein may also be involved in cyprid reversible adhesion if its presence is conf...

Many biological functions at cell level are mediated by the glycocalyx, a dense carbohydrate-presenting layer. In this layer specific interactions between carbohydrate ligands and protein receptors are formed to control cell-cell recognition, cell adhesion and related processes. The aim of this work is to shed light on the principles of complex formation between surface anchored carbohydrates a...