Tools for investigating O-GlcNAc in signaling and other fundamental biological pathways

Cells continuously fine-tune signaling pathway proteins to match nutrient and stress levels in their local environment by modifying intracellular proteins with O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) sugars, an essential process for cell survival and growth. The small size of these monosaccharide modifications poses a challenge for functional determination, but the chemistry and biology communities have together created a collection of precision tools to study these dynamic sugars. This review presents the major themes by which O-GlcNAc influences signaling pathway proteins, including G-protein coupled receptors, growth factor signaling, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways, lipid sensing, and cytokine signaling pathways. Along the way, we describe in detail key chemical biology tools that have been developed and applied to determine specific O-GlcNAc roles in these pathways. These tools include metabolic labeling, O-GlcNAc-enhancing RNA aptamers, fluorescent biosensors, proximity labeling tools, nanobody targeting tools, O-GlcNAc cycling inhibitors, light-activated systems, chemoenzymatic labeling, and nutrient reporter assays. An emergent feature of this signaling pathway meta-analysis is the intricate interplay between O-GlcNAc modifications across different signaling systems, underscoring the importance of O-GlcNAc in regulating cellular processes. We highlight the significance of O-GlcNAc in signaling and the role of chemical and biochemical tools in unraveling distinct glycobiological regulatory mechanisms. Collectively, our field has determined effective strategies to probe O-GlcNAc roles in biology. At the same time, this survey of what we do not yet know presents a clear roadmap for the field to use these powerful chemical tools to explore cross-pathway O-GlcNAc interactions in signaling and other major biological pathways.