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Carbohydrates

Cracking the glycan sequence code

For years scientists have debated whether glycans, like DNA, RNA and proteins, have a true sequence. In a recent study, researchers show that the proteoglycan bikunin has a defined and predictable sequence, opening the door for a new understanding of the glycome.

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Figure 1: How template-driven biosynthetic processes impart specific sequences in the glycome.

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Correspondence to Cynthia K Larive.

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Jones, C., Larive, C. Cracking the glycan sequence code. Nat Chem Biol 7, 758–759 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nchembio.696

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