Making a fitting choice: Common aspects of sugar-binding sites in plant and animal lectins

Comparing sequences of plant and animal lectins reveals that the ability to bind any one type of sugar has evolved several times independently in diverse protein frameworks. Conversely, families of lectins that share common structural features often contain members that recognize different groups of sugars. In the context of this combination of convergent and divergent evolution, our knowledge of the structures of lectin-sugar complexes provides valuable insights into the principles that underlie specific sugar binding.