The S protein forming the homotrimeric spikes of pathogenic beta-coronaviruses, such as MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, is a highly glycosylated protein containing mainly N-glycans of the complex and high-mannose type, as well as O-glycans. Similarly, the host cell receptors DPP4 for MERS-CoV and ACE2 for SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, also represent N- and O-glycosylated proteins. All these glycoproteins share common glycosylation patterns, suggesting that plant lectins with different carbohydrate-binding specificities could be used as carbohydrate-binding agents for the spikes and their receptors, to combat COVID19 pandemics. The binding of plant lectins to the spikes and their receptors could mask the non-glycosylated receptor binding domain of the virus and the corresponding region of the receptor, thus preventing a proper interaction of the spike proteins with their receptors. In this review, we analyze (1) the ability of plant lectins to interact with the N- and O-glycans present on the spike proteins and their receptors, (2) the in vitro and in vivo anti-COVID19 activity already reported for plant lectins and, (3) the possible ways for delivery of lectins to block the spikes and/or their receptors.

形成致病性 β 冠状病毒（例如 MERS-CoV、SARS-CoV 和 SARS-CoV-2）同源三聚体刺突的 S 蛋白是一种高度糖基化的蛋白质，主要含有复合型和高甘露糖型 N-聚糖，以及作为O-聚糖。同样，MERS-CoV 的宿主细胞受体 DPP4 和 SARS-CoV 和 SARS-CoV-2 的 ACE2，也代表N - 和O-糖基化蛋白质。所有这些糖蛋白都有共同的糖基化模式，这表明具有不同碳水化合物结合特异性的植物凝集素可用作刺突及其受体的碳水化合物结合剂，以对抗 COVID19 大流行。植物凝集素与刺突及其受体的结合可以掩盖病毒的非糖基化受体结合域和受体的相应区域，从而阻止刺突蛋白与其受体的适当相互作用。在这篇综述中，我们分析了 (1) 植物凝集素与刺突蛋白及其受体上存在的N - 和O - 聚糖相互作用的能力，(2)体外和体内已经报道了植物凝集素的抗 COVID19 活性，以及​​ (3) 递送凝集素以阻断尖峰和/或其受体的可能方式。