Glycobiology and Human Disease

Satisfies the advanced experience requirement for the Biology major. In this seminar course we will discuss the structures, function, and metabolism (biosynthesis and degradation) of carbohydrate-containing molecules, which are widely distributed in nature. Glycosylation is a major type of posttranslational modification of proteins and lipids, and as a result of such modification these molecules (glycoconjugates) obtained new physical, chemical and biological properties that frequently determine very specific processes in the cells and whole living organisms. Glycoconjugates have important roles in intercellular interactions and adhesion, signaling, the immune response, fertilization, embryogenesis, the action of hormones and receptors, etc. Disorders (often hereditary) in degradation and biosynthesis of glycoconjugates lead to development of very severe diseases, a variety of lysosomal storage diseases (LSD) and congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG), respectively. For the past two decades, new fields of study termed glycomedicine and glycopharmacology have been developing rapidly.