Biomolecules of the Horseshoe Crab’s Hemolymph: Components of an Ancient Defensive Mechanism and Its Impact on the Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Industry

Table 3

Biomolecules exist in horseshoe crab hemolymph and hemocytes [58].

Types of molecule	Proteins and peptides	Mass (kDa)	Function/specificity	Localization
Larger granules	Coagulation factors
	Factor C	123	Serine protease	L-granule
	Factor B	64	Serine protease	L-granule
	Factor G	110	Serine protease	L-granule
	Proclotting enzyme	54	Serine protease	L-granule
	Coagulogen	20	Gelation	L-granule
	Protease inhibitors
	LICI-1	48	Serpin/factor C	L-granule
	LICI-2	42	Serine clotting enzyme	L-granule
			Serine/factor G
	LICI-3	53	Complement	L-granule
	α2-Macroglobulin	180	GNB	Plasma, L-granule
	Anti-LPS factor	12	GNB	L-granule
	Factor D	42	GNB	L-granule
	Lectins
	Tachylectin-1	27	LPS (KDO), LTA	L-granule
	Tachylectin-2	27	GlcNAc, LTA	L-granule
	Tachylectin-3	15	LPS (O-antigen)	L-granule
	Tachylectin-4	470	LPS (O-antigen), LTA	L-granule
	Tachylectin-5A	41 (SP)	Acetyl group	Plasma
		31.185 (Se)
		210,/300 (GF)
				Plasma
	Tachylectin-5B	41 (SP)	Acetyl group
		33.069 (Se)
		21
	Big defensin	8.6		L-granule
	LEBP-PI	12	GNB, GPB, and FN	L-granule
	Limulus cystatin	12.6	New type	L-granule
	Limunectin	54	Cystatin family	L-granule
	18 K-LAF	18	PC	L-granule
	8.6 kDA protein	8.6	Hemocyte aggregation	L-granule
	Proxins	80	TGase substrate	L-granule
	L1	11	TGase substrate	L-granule
	L4	11	Unknown; Unknown	L-granule
Smaller granules	Tachyplesins	2.3	GNB,GPB,FN	S-granule
	Tachycitin	8.3	GNB,GPB,FN	S-granule
	Tachystatins	6.5	GNB,GPB,FN	S-granule
	Big Defensin	8.6	GNB,GPB,FN	S-granule
	Polyphemusin	2.3	GNB,GPB,FN	S-granule
Other molecules	Trypsin inhibitor	6.8	Kunitz type	ND
	LTI	16	New type	ND
	Chymotrypsin inhibitor	10	ND	Plasma
	Limulin	300	HLA/PC, PE, SA, and KDO	Plasma
	LCRP	300	PC, PE	Plasma
	TCRP-1	300	PE	Plasma
	TCRP-2	330	HLA/PE, SA	Plasma
	TCRP-3	340	HLA/SA, KDO	Plasma
	Polyphemusin	ND	LTA, GlcNAc	Plasma
	TTA	ND	SA, GlcNAc	Plasma
	Liphemin	400-500	SA	Hemolymph
	Carcinoscorpin	420	SA, KDO	Hemolymph
	GBP	40	Gal	Hemolymph
	PAP	40	Protein A	Hemolymph
	(1→3) β-D-glucan	168	Pachyman	Hemocyte
	Transglutaminase(TGase)	86	Crosslinking	Cytosol
	Limulus kexin	70	Precursor processing	ND
	Toll-like receptor	110	Precursor processing	Hemocyte
	(tToll)		ND
	Hemocyanin	3600	Oxygen transporter	Plasma