The polyfunctional polysialic acid: A structural view
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Updated: Oct 28, 2025

Metabolic Glycoengineering of Sialic Acid Using N-acyl-modified Mannosamines
Published on: November 25, 2017
Katja Mindler1, Elena Ostertag1, Thilo Stehle1
1Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
Abstract:
Polysialic acid (polySia), a homopolymer of α2,8-linked sialic acid residues, modifies a small number of proteins and has central functions in vertebrate signalling. Here, we review the regulatory functions of polySia in signalling processes and the immune system of adult humans, as well as functions based on their chemical properties. The main focus will be on the structure-function relationship of polySia with its interaction partners in humans. Recent studies have indicated that the degree of polymerisation is an important parameter that can guide the regulatory effect of polySia in addition to its binding to target proteins. Therefore, the structures of polySia in solution and bound to interaction partners are compared in order to identify the key factors that define binding specificity.
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