UniLectin

UniLectin provides curated databases and predictive modules for identification, classification, and structural analysis of lectins (carbohydrate-binding proteins) across proteomes.

Key Features:

• Lectin Classification System: Hierarchical three-level classification comprising 35 lectin domain folds, 109 classes of lectins (sharing ≥20% sequence similarity), and 350 families (sharing ≥70% sequence similarity).
• UniLectin3D Database: Curated collection of lectin three-dimensional structures expanded by 485 additional structures to support structural diversity and functional analyses.
• PropLec Module: Prediction and analysis of β-propeller lectin domains across proteomes.
• LectomeXplore Database: Prediction of lectin domains in species proteomes using de novo translated genomes from NBCI-nr and UniProt, with a focus on reversible carbohydrate-binding sites.
• Structure-informed manual curation: Manual curation of sequence alignments guided by structural folds and curated 3D structures to improve lectin domain annotation accuracy.

Scientific Applications:

• Glycan-mediated interaction research: Supports investigation of glycan-mediated cellular interactions and lectin roles in cell–cell, cell–carbohydrate, and host–pathogen binding.
• Lectin annotation in new genomes: Enables annotation of lectins in newly sequenced organisms despite small functional domains and low sequence similarity.
• Structural-functional analysis: Facilitates understanding of structural diversity and functional mechanisms of lectins via curated 3D structures.
• Discovery of novel lectins: Identifies candidate lectins by predicting reversible carbohydrate-binding sites across proteomes.

Methodology:

Manual curation and predictive modeling are used to identify and classify lectin domains; structural information from curated 3D structures is leveraged to guide sequence alignment curation, and analyses integrate data from PropLec and LectomeXplore.