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Related Concept Videos

Proteoglycans01:05

Proteoglycans

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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,...
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Oligosaccharide Assembly01:24

Oligosaccharide Assembly

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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...
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Protein Glycosylation01:25

Protein Glycosylation

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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.
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Glycosaminoglycans01:23

Glycosaminoglycans

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Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), also known as mucopolysaccharides, are long and linear polymers comprising of specific repeating disaccharides - the amino sugar that can be N-acetylglucosamine or N-acetylgalactosamine, and a uronic acid that is usually glucuronic acid or iduronic acid.
GAGS are found in the extracellular matrix of vertebrates, invertebrates, and bacteria. Due to their polar nature they attract water, and serve as excellent lubricants or shock absorbers in an animal body.
Hyaluronic...
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Peptidoglycan Synthesis01:28

Peptidoglycan Synthesis

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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...
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Glycocalyx and its Functions01:14

Glycocalyx and its Functions

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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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Profiling of Permethylated Mucin O-glycans Using Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry
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Synthetic Mucins as Glycan-Defined Prebiotics.

Jill W Alty1, Carolyn E Barnes1, Agnese M Nicoli1

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.

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|June 30, 2025
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Summary

Synthetic mucins enhance probiotic bacteria colonization and adhesion in the gut. These novel mucins also act as prebiotics, supporting beneficial bacteria and improving gut health.

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Biochemistry
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • The human microbiome plays a crucial role in health, with probiotics offering benefits like immune modulation.
  • Probiotic bacteria struggle to colonize the gut's mucosal layer due to low efficiency.
  • Mucins, key mucus components, regulate microbial populations, but their interactions with probiotics are poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate glycan-dependent interactions between probiotics and mucins.
  • To explore the potential of synthetic mucins in enhancing probiotic colonization and function.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized synthetic mucins with defined glycan presentations to study interactions with probiotic lactobacilli.
  • Assessed probiotic binding preferences under varying nutrient conditions.
  • Measured probiotic adherence to native and synthetic mucins.
  • Analyzed glycosidase activity to determine mucin prebiotic potential.

Main Results:

  • Bacterial culture conditions influenced probiotic glycan binding preferences, indicating dynamic mucin-probiotic interactions.
  • Synthetic mucins increased adherence of *Limosilactobacillus fermentum*.
  • Probiotic bacteria cleaved mucin O-glycans, demonstrating mucins' prebiotic function.

Conclusions:

  • Synthetic mucins can be used to cultivate and enhance the adhesion of target probiotic bacteria.
  • Synthetic mucins serve as valuable tools for understanding native mucin functions.
  • Synthetic mucins show promise as agents for promoting human gut health.