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 clone had a single carbohydrate recognition domain having conserved motifs for β-galactoside binding and showed 67% amino acid identity with human galectin-2. The recombinant protein synthesized inEscherichia colicould bind to an asialofetuin column and was eluted with β-galactopyranoside. From 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 β-galactoside moiety of glycoproteins.