Domain Architecture

Classification of plant lectin genes as simple or chimeric lectins based on domain organization predicted by InterProScan and Pfam.
Author

Beaven Manjengwa

Keywords

domain architecture, chimeric lectins, InterProScan, Pfam, protein domains, plant lectins, chimerolectins

Domain Architecture

Objective of this section

Analyze the domain organization of identified putative lectin genes to classify them as simple lectins (lectin domain only) or chimeric lectins (lectin domain fused with one or more additional functional domains).

Tools and databases

Tool / Database Tested Version Platform Purpose
InterProScan 5.77-108.0 Linux Predicting domains and important sites
InterPro and/or Pfam1 — Web Domain HMM profiles
TBtools-II2 2.466 Windows/Linux/macOS Domain architecture visualization
Table 1: Tools and databases used in this analysis.

Key Insights

  • Most identified lectin genes encode chimeric proteins fused with additional functional domains such as protein kinases and F-box domains
  • Domain architecture varies considerably across lectin families and species

Key Limitations

  • Domain predictions are limited to what is currently annotated in InterPro and Pfam — novel or poorly characterized domains will not be detected
  • Short or fragmented sequences may not yield reliable domain predictions

Published Studies

Phaseolus Species3, Arabidopsis thaliana4, Cucumber (Cucumis sativus)5, Rice (Oryza sativa)6, soybean (Glycine max)7, and Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor)8

References

1.
Blum, M. et al. InterPro: The protein sequence classification resource in 2025. Nucleic Acids Research 53, D444–D456 (2024).
2.
Chen, C. et al. TBtools-II: A “one for all, all for one” bioinformatics platform for biological big-data mining. Molecular Plant 16, 1733–1742 (2023).
3.
Osman, M. E. M. et al. Lectin gene families in three phaseolus species: Genome-wide identification, evolutionary analysis, pleiotropic effect, and regulation under multiple stress conditions. Journal of Molecular Evolution 94, 28–51 (2025).
4.
Eggermont, L., Verstraeten, B. & Van Damme, E. J. M. Genome-wide screening for lectin motifs in arabidopsis thaliana. The Plant Genome 10, plantgenome2017.02.0010 (2017).
5.
Dang, L. & Van Damme, E. J. M. Genome-wide identification and domain organization of lectin domains in cucumber. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 108, 165–176 (2016).
6.
Tsaneva, M., De Schutter, K., Verstraeten, B. & Van Damme, E. J. M. Lectin sequence distribution in QTLs from rice (oryza sativa) suggest a role in morphological traits and stress responses. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 20, 437 (2019).
7.
Van Holle, S. & Van Damme, E. Distribution and evolution of the lectin family in soybean (glycine max). Molecules 20, 2868–2891 (2015).
8.
Osman, M. E. M., Dirar, A. I. & Konozy, E. H. E. Genome-wide screening of lectin putative genes from sorghum bicolor l., distribution in QTLs and a probable implications of lectins in abiotic stress tolerance. BMC Plant Biology 22, (2022).