Terminal galactosylation of glycoconjugates in Plasmodium falciparum asexual blood stages and Trypanosoma brucei bloodstream trypomastigotes

► Lectin BSB4 specific for terminal α-galactose reacts with Plasmodium falciparum and Trypanosoma brucei blood stages. ► T. brucei not P. falciparum proteins strongly bind BSB4-Sepharose. ► T. brucei not P. falciparum terminally galactosylates proteins and lipids. ► New galactosylated glycoconjugates detected in T. brucei. ► Bioinformatic search finds no evidence for P. falciparum α-galactosyl transferase.