Glycobiology

Glycobiology in the broadest sense is the science of the structure, biosynthesis and biology of saccharides (sugar chains or glycans ). They influence a wide range of biological processes in a variety of ways. These are researched in medical, biochemical and biotechnological terms.

history

The term glycobiology was coined in 1988 and referred to the combination of the traditional disciplines of sugar chemistry and biochemistry . This resulted from an improved understanding of cell and molecular biology and glycans. In the 1890s, it was Emil Fisher who first clarified the structure of basic sugar molecules.

Saccharides, glycans, glycoconjugates, glycoproteins, glycolipids

Carbohydrates are divided into simple sugars (monosaccharides), double sugars (disaccharides), multiple sugars (oligosaccharides) and multiple sugars (polysaccharides, also glycans). Molecules made up of sugar structures and other components are called glycoconjugates . Proteins modified with sugar structures are called glycoproteins ( glycosylated proteins), fat molecules with attached sugar components are glycolipids . Glycoconjugates and molecules that recognize sugar building blocks and trigger biochemical reactions, e.g. B. Antibodies , enzymes , lectins are of particular interest in glycobiology. Glycoconjugates are mainly found in the outer cell wall and in cell secretions. Due to the presence of glycan receptors, they play an important role in interactions between cells.

Glycomic

The totality of the sugar structures in the organism is called the glycom. Glycomics (also Glycomics) is the overall name for the corresponding research field.

complexity

The challenge of glycobiology in the analysis and synthesis of glycoderivatives is that biologically active sugars can be extremely complex and diverse (heterogeneous). The building blocks (monosaccharides, proteins and fats) can be put together in different ways.

Practical applications

Through research in glycobiology one promises z. B. an improved understanding of diseases and their courses by analyzing the type and extent of glycosylation of certain proteins. This can lead to new diagnostics and therapeutics. Further research areas are the development of vaccines , in which the degree of glycosylation plays a role, and the testing of biomaterials with better tolerability.

literature

Essentials of Glycobiology , 2nd edition, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 2009

Web links

The Functional Glycomics Gateway
Federal Ministry of Education and Research: "The future is sweet" (PDF file; 1.26 MB)

Individual evidence

↑ Rademacher TW, Parekh RB and Dwek RA .: Glycobiology . In: Annu. Rev. Biochem. . 57, 1988, pp. 785-838. doi : 10.1146 / annurev.bi.57.070188.004033 . PMID 3052290 .
↑ Ma BY, Mikolajczak SA, Yoshida T, Yoshida R, Kelvin DJ, Ochi A: CD28 T cell costimulatory receptor function is negatively regulated by N-linked carbohydrates . In: Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. . 317, No. 1, 2004, pp. 60-67. doi : 10.1016 / j.bbrc.2004.03.012 . PMID 15047148 .
↑ Takahashi M, Tsuda T, Ikeda Y, Honke K, Taniguchi N: Role of N-glycans in growth factor signaling . In: Glycoconj. J. . 20, No. 3, 2004, pp. 207-212. PMID 15090734 .

[rademacher-1] Rademacher TW, Parekh RB and Dwek RA .: Glycobiology . In: Annu. Rev. Biochem. . 57, 1988, pp. 785-838. doi : 10.1146 / annurev.bi.57.070188.004033 . PMID 3052290 .

[Ma_2004-2] Ma BY, Mikolajczak SA, Yoshida T, Yoshida R, Kelvin DJ, Ochi A: CD28 T cell costimulatory receptor function is negatively regulated by N-linked carbohydrates . In: Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. . 317, No. 1, 2004, pp. 60-67. doi : 10.1016 / j.bbrc.2004.03.012 . PMID 15047148 .

[Takahashi_2004-3] Takahashi M, Tsuda T, Ikeda Y, Honke K, Taniguchi N: Role of N-glycans in growth factor signaling . In: Glycoconj. J. . 20, No. 3, 2004, pp. 207-212. PMID 15090734 .