This family of lectins binds N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylgalactosamine and may be involved in innate immunity [1-3]. It has a five-bladed beta-propeller structure with five carbohydrate-binding sites, one per beta sheet [2].

1: Purification, characterization, and cDNA cloning of a 27-kDa lectin (L10) from horseshoe crab hemocytes. Okino N, Kawabata S, Saito T, Hirata M, Takagi T, Iwanaga S; J Biol Chem. 1995;270:31008-31015. PMID:8537358

2: Tachylectin-2: crystal structure of a specific GlcNAc/GalNAc-binding lectin involved in the innate immunity host defense of the Japanese horseshoe crab Tachypleus tridentatus. Beisel HG, Kawabata S, Iwanaga S, Huber R, Bode W; EMBO J. 1999;18:2313-2322. PMID:10228146

3: High amino acid diversity and positive selection at a putative coral immunity gene (tachylectin-2). Hayes ML, Eytan RI, Hellberg ME; BMC Evol Biol. 2010;10:150. PMID:20482872