Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41734235›Full record

ArticlePLoS pathogens2026

Structural basis for carbohydrate recognition by the Gal/GalNAc lectin of Entamoeba histolytica involved in host cell adhesion.

Samuel F Gérard, Christina Redfield, Matthew K Higgins

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS pathogens, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Samuel F GérardDepartment of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Christina RedfieldDepartment of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Matthew K HigginsDepartment of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2870-1955

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Intestinal amoebiasis is caused by Entamoeba histolytica, one of the deadliest human-infective parasites. Central to its pathogenicity is its binding to mucosal carbohydrates, which precedes tissue damage by trogocytosis. Carbohydrate binding is mediated by a single adhesin, the galactose/N-acetylgalactosamine (Gal/GalNAc) lectin, which is the leading vaccine candidate for amoebiasis. We present the structure of the native heterodimeric lectin, revealing an ordered core containing the light chain and the N-terminal region of the heavy chain. Structures obtained in the presence of ligand show that the Gal/GalNAc binding site is in the light chain, which adopts a β-trefoil fold found in other lectins. An elongated arm emerges from the heavy chain, which adopts multiple positions and may be modulated by sugar binding. This study reveals the molecular basis for sugar binding by the Entamoeba histolytica Gal/GalNAc lectin, a prerequisite for parasite invasion and development of intestinal disease.

Indexed as

Entamoeba histolyticaLectinsProtozoan ProteinsAcetylgalactosamineAnimalsBinding SitesCell AdhesionEntamoebiasisGalactoseHumansModels, MolecularProtein BindingAcetylgalactosamineGalactoseLectinsProtozoan Proteins

Identifiers

PMID41734235
PMCPMC12948311

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.