engleski

Glycoconjugates - Versatile Structures and Intriguing Functions - FEBS Advanced Course Anniversary

Nearly all proteins are glycosylated. In more than a half of all proteins carbohydrates are a significant structural component. Regulatory modification of Ser and Thr by covalent addition of a single GlcNAc is as abundant or even more abundant than phosphorylation, but this type of glycosylation is catalysed by a single enzyme, contrary to phosphorylation that involves thousands of kinases. The glycocalyx is the predominant surface structure on cells. Cell-cell interaction are mediated by lectins of one cell recognising glycan targets on an other cell surface. Glycan - lectin interactions are essential in inflammation, and in fertilization. Even pathogens start their communication with the host cell through carbohydrate - lectin recognitions. As with many other life sciences, glycobiology has been revolutionised by the development of the fast and powerful techniques, both physical and those of molecular biology. As a result, structural glycobiology is rapidly advacing. Radiant achievements of the rapidly developing and branching glycosciences are reviewed. New information on glycoproteins, glycolipids and their receptors, their structure, biosynthesis and function, as well as on their potential to support medicine and to provide new therapeutics has been briefly discussed.

glycomics; lectins; glycan signals; glycocalyx

nije evidentirano