Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

Carbohydrates

Cracking the glycan sequence code

Nature Chemical Biology volume 7, pages 758–759 (2011)Cite this article

Subjects

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.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

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

References

  1. Feero, W.G., Guttmacher, A.E. & Collins, F.S. N. Engl. J. Med. 362, 2001–2011 (2010)10.1056/NEJMra0907175.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Ly, M. et al. Nat. Chem. Biol. 7, 827–833 (2011)10.1038/nchembio.673.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Ly, M., Laremore, T.N. & Linhardt, R.J. OMICS 14, 389–399 (2010)10.1089/omi.2009.0123.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Couchman, J.R. Annu. Rev. Cell Dev. Biol. 26, 89–114 (2010)10.1146/annurev-cellbio-100109-104126.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Linhardt, R.J. & Toida, T. Acc. Chem. Res. 37, 431–438 (2004)10.1021/ar030138x.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Lindahl, U. & Li, J. Int. Rev. Cell Mol. Biol. 276, 105–159 (2009)10.1016/S1937-6448(09)76003-4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Petitou, M., Casu, B. & Lindahl, U. Biochimie 85, 83–89 (2003)10.1016/S0300-9084(03)00078-6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Jones, C.J., Beni, S., Limtiaco, J.F.K., Langeslay, D.J. & Larive, C.K. Annu. Rev. Anal. Chem. (Palo Alto Calif.) 4, 439–465 (2011)10.1146/annurev-anchem-061010-113911.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Christopher J. Jones & Cynthia K. Larive are at the Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California, USA.,

    Christopher J Jones & Cynthia K Larive

Authors
  1. Christopher J Jones
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Cynthia K Larive
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cynthia K Larive.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

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

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nchembio.696

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing