info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Plant antifungal lectins: Mechanism of action and targets on human pathogenic fungi
Fecha
2019-09Registro en:
del Rio, Marianela Victoria; de la Canal, Laura; Regente, Mariana Clelia; Plant antifungal lectins: Mechanism of action and targets on human pathogenic fungi; Bentham Science Publishers; Current Protein and Peptide Science; 21; 3; 9-2019; 284-294
1389-2037
CONICET Digital
CONICET
Autor
del Rio, Marianela Victoria
de la Canal, Laura
Regente, Mariana Clelia
Resumen
Lectins are proteins characterized by their ability to specifically bind different carbohydrate motifs. This feature is associated with their endogenous biological function as well as with multiple applications. Plants are important natural sources of these proteins; however only a reduced group was shown to display antifungal activity. Although it is hypothesized that the target of lectins is the fungal cell wall, the mechanism through which they exert the antifungal action is poorly understood. This topic is relevant to improve therapies against pathogens of importance for human health. In this context, mechanisms pointing to essential attributes for virulence instead of the viability of the pathogen emerge as a promising approach. This review provides the current knowledge on the action mechanism of plant antifungal lectins and their putative use for the development of novel active principles against fungal infections.