Identification and cloning of rat galectin-2: Expression is predominantly in epithelial cells of the stomach

A complementary DNA clone preferentially expressed in the gastrointestinal tract was obtained from a rat stomach library. The protein coded by the clo ne had a single carbohydrate recognition domain having conserved motifs for beta-galactoside binding and showed 67% amino acid identity with human gal ectin-2. The recombinant protein synthesized in Escherich ia coli could bin d to an asialofetuin column and was eluted with beta-galactopyranoside. Fro m these observations, we named the protein rat galectin-2 coded by the cDNA . The rat galectin-2 was predominantly expressed in the epithelial cells of stomach. Thus this protein may form a mucin layer cross-linking with the b eta-galactoside moiety of glycoproteins. (C) 1999 Academic Press.