XXII. BIOCHEMICKÝ ZJAZD - Jesseniova lekárska fakulta

Lectures
LECTINS frOM PATHOGENS: MYSTERY OF LIFE
Michaela Wimmerová
National Centre for Biomolecular Research & Department of Biochemistry, Faculty
of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
Protein/carbohydrate interactions play a crucial role in host cell recognition by pathogens.
Many of them have at disposal a wide arsenal of proteins that selectively recognize host
cabohydrate epitops. In addition, while a general protein/saccharide binding is usually
very weak, pathogens have evolved proteins that can bind even monosaccharides with
unusually high affinities.
Contribution will be focused on some examples of lectins from pathogens, which can
mediate recognition and adhesion to host cells so that they could be important virulence
factors. The combination of binding experiments (isothermal titration microcalorimetry,
surface plasmon resonance,...) and X-ray crystallography approaches is used to decipher
the thermodynamical and structural basis for high affinity binding of these lectins to host
carbohydrates. Site-directed mutagenesis in combination with structural and functional
studies is used for understanding particular amino acids for sugar specificity and preference.
110 XXII. Biochemistry Congress, Martin