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Protein Glycosylation

Protein Glycosylation

Glycosylation, the most common post-translational modification for proteins, serves diverse functions. Adding sugars to proteins makes the proteins more resistant to proteolytic digestion. Glycosylated proteins can act as markers and receptors to promote cell-cell adhesion. Additionally, they have many essential quality control functions in the cell, such as correct protein folding and facilitating transport of misfolded proteins to the cytosol, which can be degraded.
Glycosylation occurs in...

Oligosaccharide Assembly

Oligosaccharide Assembly

Protein glycosylation starts in the ER lumen and continues in the Golgi apparatus. Glycosyltransferases catalyze the addition of sugar molecules or glycosylation of proteins. Usually, these enzymes add sugars to the hydroxyl groups of selected serine or threonine residues to form O-linked glycans or the amino groups of asparagine residues to form N-linked glycans. Different positions on the same polypeptide chain can contain differently linked glycans.
Multiple sugar molecules that may or may...

Proteoglycans

Proteoglycans

Glycans, a class of complex heterogeneous molecules, can be covalently attached to proteins to form glycosylated proteins that regulate various physiological and pathological processes. Glycosylated proteins or glycoproteins comprise N-linked and O-linked oligosaccharides. O-glycosylation is the most common type of protein glycosylation. Here, glycans attach to the oxygen atom of the hydroxyl groups of Serine or Threonine residues. O-linked glycosylation occurs later in protein processing,...

Peptidoglycan Synthesis

Peptidoglycan Synthesis

Structure of PeptidoglycanPeptidoglycan is a vital structural component of the bacterial cell wall, providing mechanical strength and shape to the cell. It consists of repeating units of two sugars—N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) and N-acetylmuramic acid (NAM)—linked by β-1,4 glycosidic bonds. These sugar chains are cross-linked by short peptide chains, forming a mesh-like polymer that surrounds the bacterial plasma membrane.Cytoplasmic Phase – Precursor SynthesisPeptidoglycan...

Formation of Lipopolysaccharides

Formation of Lipopolysaccharides

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are crucial components of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, serving both structural and functional roles. It contributes to membrane stability and protects bacteria from host immune responses. LPS is composed of three major regions—lipid A, a core oligosaccharide, and an O antigen. The biosynthesis and assembly of LPS involve a highly coordinated set of enzymatic reactions and transport mechanisms. Additionally, LPS is recognized as an endotoxin,...

Glycocalyx and its Functions

Glycocalyx and its Functions

The glycocalyx is a carbohydrate-rich, fuzzy-appearing layer on the outer surface of the cell membrane. It is highly hydrophilic, because of this it attracts large amounts of water to the cell's surface. This aids the cell's interaction with the watery environment and also helps it to obtain substances dissolved in the water. It is also important for cell identification, self/non-self determination, and embryonic development and is used in cell-to-cell attachments to form tissues.

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Generation of Null Mutants to Elucidate the Role of Bacterial Glycosyltransferases in Bacterial Motility

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Bacterial glycosylation, it's complicated.

Christine M Szymanski¹

¹Department of Microbiology and Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.

Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences

|October 17, 2022

Summary

Microbes produce diverse sugar structures, unlike eukaryotes, with significant strain-to-strain variations. This review explores microbial glycan diversity using Campylobacter jejuni as a model.

Keywords:

Campylobacter jejuni carbohydrates glycoconjugates phase-variation polysaccharides

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Area of Science:

Microbiology
Glycobiology
Carbohydrate Chemistry

Background:

Microbes synthesize a vast array of complex sugar structures, including glycolipids, glycoproteins, and exopolysaccharides.
Microbial glycans often differ significantly from eukaryotic structures in sugar repertoire and modifications.
Strain-specific variations and regulatory mechanisms contribute to extensive structural heterogeneity in microbial glycans.

Purpose of the Study:

To highlight the immense diversity of microbial carbohydrate structures.
To emphasize the challenges in generalizing microbial glycan composition at the species level.
To review microbial glycan diversity using Campylobacter jejuni as a model organism.

Main Methods:

Literature review focusing on microbial glycoconjugate synthesis and structure.
Comparative analysis of microbial and eukaryotic glycan composition.
Case study utilizing Campylobacter jejuni to illustrate glycan complexity.

Main Results:

Microbes possess an extensive and unique repertoire of glycan structures.
Significant structural heterogeneity exists even within single microbial species and strains.
Previous research bias towards human pathogens and easily cultured microbes has limited understanding of broader glycan diversity.

Conclusions:

Microbial glycan diversity is vast and complex, challenging simple classifications.
Advancements in analytical techniques are crucial for studying microbial glycans in situ.
Campylobacter jejuni serves as a valuable model for understanding microbial glycan variability and its implications.