C-Type Lectin Domain Family 11, Member A (CLEC11A)

CLEC11A encodes a member of the C-type lectin superfamily. The encoded protein is a secreted sulfated glycoprotein and functions as a growth factor for primitive hematopoietic progenitor cells. An alternative splice variant has been described but its biological nature has not been determined. Sequence analysis revealed a 21-amino acid signal peptide; a glutamate-rich N-terminal domain, which includes an arg-gly-asp triplet; a leucine zipper; and a C-terminal C-type lectin domain, which is known to be a carbohydrate recognition domain. The authors found O-glycan attachment sites but no N-glycosylation sites. Northern blot analysis detected a 1.4-kb transcript that was strongly expressed in T and B lymphoblastoid, weakly expressed in monocytoid cell lines, and not expressed in fibroblasts.