Glycoconjugates such as glycoproteins and glycolipids play important roles in cell-cell interaction events, including development, differentiation, m- phogenesis, fertilization, inflammation, and metastasis. A number of reports have documented the association of unique oligosaccharide sequences to p- tein targeting and folding, and in mechanisms of infection, inflammation, and immunity. For glycoproteins, these glycan appendages are the result of extensive co- or post-translational modifications of the nascent proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum and in the Golgi apparatus. Although nucleic acids and proteins are copied from a template in a repeated series of identical steps using the same enzymes, complex carbohydrates are formed by the sequential actions of cellular glycosyltransferases that specifically recognize unique s- strates. The molecular biology of these transferases and other carbohydra- modifying enzymes is providing important insights on oligosaccharide recognition events. While it is acknowledged that the definition of the protein complement of cells and tissues (the so-called proteome) remains an enormous task in this postgenomic era, the characterization of all glycans produced by individual organisms (referred to as the glycome) presents an equally imp- tant challenge. This task is further complicated by the fact that oligosacc- rides cannot presently be cloned. These complex carbohydrates exist in a staggering diversity of structures, linkages, and branching, thus providing an exquisite molecular repertoire for cellular interactions.

Book Information
ISBN 9781617372063
Author Pierre Thibault
Format Paperback
Page Count 318
Imprint Humana Press Inc.
Publisher Humana Press Inc.
Weight(grams) 492g