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Discoidin

(Science: protein) a lectin, isolated from the cellular slime mould dictyostelium discoideum, that has a binding Site for carbohydrate residues related to galactose. The lectin, that consists of two distinct species (discoidins i and II), is synthesised as the cells differentiate from vegetative to aggregation phase and was originally thought to be involved in intercellular adhesion, but discoidin i is now thought to be involved in adhesion to the substratum by a mechanism resembling that of fibronectin in animals.