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Bioinformatics Resources for the Study of Glycan-Mediated Protein Interactions
Published on: January 20, 2022
SugarBind database (SugarBindDB): a resource of pathogen lectins and corresponding glycan targets
Baddr Shakhsheer1, Mark Anderson, Khaled Khatib
1Department of Surgery, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
Journal of Molecular Recognition : JMR
|July 10, 2013
Summary
SugarBindDB is a searchable database of pathogen and biotoxin lectins and their carbohydrate ligands, aiding research in infectious disease glycobiology. It provides standardized glycan nomenclature and will be enhanced with new display formats.
Area of Science:
- Glycoscience
- Bioinformatics
- Infectious Disease Research
Background:
- Lectins play crucial roles in pathogen interactions and biotoxin binding.
- Understanding carbohydrate-ligand interactions is vital for glycobiology and infectious disease research.
- Existing databases may lack comprehensive, searchable data on pathogen lectins and their specific carbohydrate targets.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present SugarBindDB, a curated, searchable database of pathogen and biotoxin lectins and their carbohydrate ligands.
- To provide a standardized nomenclature for glycans based on International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) guidelines.
- To serve as a valuable resource for researchers investigating the glycobiology of infectious diseases.
Main Methods:
- Information is systematically collected from peer-reviewed scientific journal articles.
- A searchable format is implemented for efficient data retrieval.
- Help files are provided to guide users through search processes and explain glycan structures and nomenclature.
Main Results:
- SugarBindDB offers a centralized repository of lectin-carbohydrate interactions relevant to pathogens and biotoxins.
- Glycans are consistently represented using the condensed form of IUPAC nomenclature.
- The database has been a resource for infectious disease glycobiology research since its inception in 2005.
Conclusions:
- SugarBindDB provides a crucial, searchable resource for pathogen and biotoxin lectin-carbohydrate interactions.
- The database facilitates research in infectious disease glycobiology through standardized data presentation.
- Future enhancements will integrate SugarBindDB into the UniCarbKB initiative, expanding its functionality and linked resources.
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