Fundamentals Of Glycosylation

The diverse phenomenon of post-translational modifications of biological macromolecules (proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids) includes phosphorylation, glycosylation, ubiquitination, nitrosylation, methylation, acetylation, lipidation, and proteolysis. The mechanism of protein glycosylation has an important role in the regulation of human health. This book identifies the fundamentals of glycosylation that help in understanding the concepts of protein glycosylation and its significance.

Sugar chains (glycans) are often attached to proteins and lipids and have multiple roles in the organization and function of all organisms. "Essentials of Glycobiology" describes their biogenesis and function and offers a useful gateway to the understanding of glycans.

A reader friendly overview of the structure and functional relevance of natural glycosylation and its cognate proteins (lectins), this book is also one of the few books to cover their role in health and disease. Edited by one of the pioneering experts in the field and written by a team of renowned researchers this resource is a perfect introduction for all students in life and medical sciences, biochemistry, chemistry and pharmacy. Website: WWW.WILEY-VCH.DE/HOME/THESUGARCODE

As the editor, I feel extremely happy to present to the readers such a rich collection of chapters authored/co-authored by a large number of experts from around the world covering the broad field of guided wave optics and optoelectronics. Most of the chapters are state-of-the-art on respective topics or areas that are emerging. Several authors narrated technological challenges in a lucid manner, which was possible because of individual expertise of the authors in their own subject specialties. I have no doubt that this book will be useful to graduate students, teachers, researchers, and practicing engineers and technologists and that they would love to have it on their book shelves for ready reference at any time.

Introduction to Glycobiology reveals the true impact of the sugars on biological systems, explaining their function at the molecular, cellular, and organismal level and their clinical relevance.

Plants synthesize a wide variety of unique glycan structures which play essential roles during the life cycle of the plant. Being omnipresent throughout the plant kingdom, ranging from simple green algae to modern flowering plants, glycans contribute to many diverse processes. Glycans can function as structural components in the plant cell wall, assist in the folding of nascent proteins, act as signaling molecules in plant defense responses or (ER) stress pathways, or serve within the energy metabolism of a plant. In most cases, glycans are attached to other macromolecules to form so-called glycoconjugates (e.g. glycoproteins, proteoglycans and glycolipids), but they can also be present as free entities residing in the plant cell. Next to the broad, complex set of glycans, plants also evolved an elaborate collection of lectins or proteins with a lectin-like domain, which can recognize and bind to endogenous (plants-own) or exogenous (foreign) glycans. Though still poorly understood in plants, the dynamic interactions between lectins and carbohydrate structures are suggested to be involved in gene transcription, protein folding, protein transport, cell adhesion, signaling as well as defense responses. As such, a complex and largely undetermined glycan-interactome is established inside plant cells, between cells and their surrounding matrix, inside the extracellular matrix, and even between organisms. Studying the biological roles of plant glycans will enable to better understand plant development and physiology in order to fully exploit plants for food, feed and production of pharmaceutical proteins. In this Research Topic, we want to provide a platform for articles describing the latest research, perspectives and methodologies related to the fascinating world of plant glycobiology, with a focus on following subjects: 1. Identification and characterization of plant glycans, their biosynthetic and degradation enzymes 2. Characterization of plant lectins and glycoproteins 3. Plant glycans in the plant’s energy metabolism 4. Role of plant glycans in plant defense signaling 5. Use of plant lectins in pest control 6. Plant lectins as new tools in human medicine 7. Glyco-engineering in plants

The Handbook of Carbohydrate Engineering provides an overview of the basic science, theory, methods, and applications of this broad, interdisciplinary field. The text provides background information along with practical knowledge for current and future research methodologies used in the characterization and synthesis of various carbohydrates. This multidisciplinary perspective involves aspects of basic biology, synthetic chemistry, enzymology, complex instrumentation, and sophisticated modeling. The book presents the fundamentals of carbohydrate engineering, addressing concepts in structure, biosynthesis, and biological functions for a variety of carbohydrates with a particular emphasis on mammalian glycoproteins and their N-linked oligosaccharides, glycolipids, sialic acid, as well as polysaccharides from both eukaryotes and bacteria. It describes glycosylation processes found in nature and surveys methods to manipulate these metabolic systems in living cells both for the improved production of carbohydrates and to give these molecules novel properties. Subsequent sections discuss the various methods of purification, synthesis, modification, and analysis used to create and manipulate carbohydrates in the laboratory; these approaches include chemical-enzymatic synthesis, small-molecule cell-based strategies, as well as complete chemical synthesis. The Handbook of Carbohydrate Engineering also focuses on practical applications for carbohydrates. It emphasizes methods to characterize glycosylation pathways and expounds upon the role of carbohydrates in health and disease, a significant - and rapidly growing - area of research. World-renowned experts discuss biomedical applications, including the development of vaccines, therapeutics, glycomimetics, antibody engineering, drug delivery, tissue engineering and organ regeneration, and diagnostic agents. Several chapters also cover important applications in agriculture, industry, food technology, and environmental remediation.