7: Carbohydrates and Glycobiology
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- 7.1: Monosaccharides and Disaccharides
- This page provides an in-depth look at the fundamentals of monosaccharide and disaccharide biochemistry. It covers the structural aspects of monosaccharides, including linear and cyclic forms, D- and L-configurations, and different representations such as Fischer and Haworth projections. It also discusses the formation of hemiacetals, acetals, and glycosidic bonds, differentiating between reducing and non-reducing sugars.
- 7.2: Polysaccharides
- The page provides a comprehensive overview of polysaccharides, highlighting their structural diversity and functional roles. It discusses the classification into homopolysaccharides (e.g., starch, glycogen, cellulose) and heteropolysaccharides (e.g., glycosaminoglycans), emphasizing the impact of glycosidic linkages on structure and function. Key polysaccharides like amylose, chitin, and peptidoglycan are examined in terms of biological significance.
- 7.3: Glycoconjugates - Proteoglycans, Glycoproteins, Glycolipids and Cell Walls
- This page discusses complex aspects of glycoconjugates in biochemistry, focusing on their classification, structure-function relationship, biosynthesis, and role in cellular processes. It highlights the types of glycoconjugates???proteoglycans, glycoproteins, and glycolipids???and their involvement in cell wall integrity and cellular recognition.
- 7.4: The Sugar Code and Lectin Decoding
- The page provides a detailed exploration of the "sugar code," emphasizing the structural complexity and informational role of glycans in biological systems. It discusses various glycan-binding proteins (GBPs), particularly lectins, including C-type lectins, galectins, and siglecs, and their specific interactions with carbohydrates. The importance of these interactions in processes like immune responses, cell recognition, and disease pathology, such as cancer and infections, is highlighted.
- 7.5: Working with Carbohydrates
- The page outlines comprehensive learning goals for biochemistry majors focused on the study of carbohydrates and N-glycans. It covers topics such as carbohydrate structural diversity, extraction techniques, chromatographic and spectroscopic methods for carbohydrate analysis, enzymatic assays, chemical and enzymatic synthesis of carbohydrates, and the role of glycan arrays in studying carbohydrate-protein interactions.
Thumbnail: Cellulose molecular structure (CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported; Pintor4257 via Wikipedia)