Lectins: Analytical Technologies

Book excerpt: Lectins: Analytical Technologies covers both analytical and biological aspects of lectins (functional carbohydrate (complex sugar) recognition proteins) and provides researchers in the field with a resource containing background information and 'look-up' tables detailing lectin specificity and structures. Also included are methods and practical tips for designing new lectins from existing non-lectin proteins, automated approaches to lectin proteomics and high resolution mass spectrometry techniques. This book will be of interest to both novice and advanced researchers in biomedical, analytical and pharmaceutical fields who are involved in the study of lectin structures or who utilize lectins as analytical tools. The study of lectins and their employment in analytical settings spans a range of fields including: * Crystallography and lectin structure databases* Carbohydrate microarrays for lectin characterization and glycotope identification* Proteomic approaches to the functional identification of bacterial adhesins* Generation of lectins from enzymes* Probing cell-surface lectins with neoglycoconjugates* Reviews up-to-date techniques, including practical hints for laboratory work* Provides overview of lectin e-resources and several color illustrations* Includes a 'look-up' table detailing lectin specificity