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Updated: Jul 9, 2026
09:54
Identification and Characterization of Protein Glycosylation using Specific Endo- and Exoglycosidases
Published on: December 26, 2011
Carbohydrates and glycosylation
1Biology Department, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA. berninsone@unr.edu
Wormbook : the Online Review of C. Elegans Biology
|December 1, 2007
Summary
C. elegans research reveals novel N- and O-glycan structures and conserved glycosaminoglycans. Genetic studies uncover new roles for these complex carbohydrates in development and physiology.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Glycobiology
Background:
- The C. elegans genome possesses genes homologous to mammalian glycan-related genes.
- Advances in analytical techniques enable detailed structural analysis of glycans from limited biological material.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent findings on complex carbohydrate structures in C. elegans.
- To summarize genetic studies elucidating the roles of glycans in development and physiology.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing advanced analytical tools for glycan structural determination.
- Employing genetic manipulation to perturb glycan structures.
- Reviewing existing literature on C. elegans glycobiology.
Main Results:
- Discovery of novel N- and O-glycan structures in C. elegans.
- Identification of high conservation in glycosaminoglycan structures.
- Uncovering specific roles for carbohydrate moieties in developmental and physiological processes.
Conclusions:
- C. elegans serves as a model for understanding complex carbohydrate biosynthesis and function.
- Glycans play crucial, previously unrecognized roles in C. elegans development and physiology.
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