Paulson James C, Blixt Ola, Collins Brian E
Department of Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.
Nat Chem Biol. 2006 May;2(5):238-48. doi: 10.1038/nchembio785.
Information contained in the mammalian glycome is decoded by glycan-binding proteins (GBPs) that mediate diverse functions including host-pathogen interactions, cell trafficking and transmembrane signaling. Although information on the biological roles of GBPs is rapidly expanding, challenges remain in identifying the glycan ligands and their impact on GBP function. Protein-glycan interactions are typically low affinity, requiring multivalent interactions to achieve a biological effect. Though many glycoproteins can carry the glycan structure recognized by the GBP, other factors, such as recognition of protein epitopes and microdomain localization, may restrict which glycoproteins are functional ligands in situ. Recent advances in development of glycan arrays, synthesis of multivalent glycan ligands, bioengineering of cell-surface glycans and glycomics databases are providing new tools to identify the ligands of GBPs and to elucidate the mechanisms by which they participate in GBP function.
哺乳动物糖组中包含的信息由聚糖结合蛋白（GBP）解码，这些蛋白介导多种功能，包括宿主-病原体相互作用、细胞运输和跨膜信号传导。尽管关于GBP生物学作用的信息正在迅速扩展，但在识别聚糖配体及其对GBP功能的影响方面仍存在挑战。蛋白质-聚糖相互作用通常亲和力较低，需要多价相互作用才能产生生物学效应。虽然许多糖蛋白可以携带被GBP识别的聚糖结构，但其他因素，如蛋白质表位的识别和微结构域定位，可能会限制哪些糖蛋白是原位功能性配体。聚糖阵列开发、多价聚糖配体合成、细胞表面聚糖生物工程和糖组学数据库等方面的最新进展，正在为识别GBP的配体以及阐明它们参与GBP功能的机制提供新工具。
