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Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Glycan Node Analysis: A Bottom-up Approach to Glycomics
Published on: May 22, 2016
The role of glycan modifications in health and disease
Madouc D Bergers1, Tessa A Goté1, Zachary Armstrong1
1Department of Bio-organic Synthesis, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, University of Leiden, Einsteinweg 55, 2333, CC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Glycans are polymeric carbohydrate chains that often decorate proteins and lipids present on cell surfaces and in the extracellular space, thereby influencing cell interactions, immune responses, and host-microbiome relationships. Glycans are highly dynamic and can undergo a plethora of post-synthetic modifications, including O-acetylation, sulfation, and sulfamation. In this review, we examine how these glycan modifications are established and how they influence human health, from cell signaling to host-pathogen dynamics. We propose terming these glycan modifications, which give rise to a greater diversity of glycans, collectively as the epiglycome. Despite their biological importance, glycan modifications are considerably less well studied than the underlying glycans and proteins. However, advances in chemical and biochemical tools are enabling greater insights into their roles and translational potential.
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