Didactic Courses for Students and Postdoctoral Fellows

Glycobiology

Textbook

Essentials of Glycobiology, Varki A, Cummings R, Esko J, Freeze H, Hart G, Marth J (eds). New York: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1999

Course Description

The importance of glycan expression for the normal functions of the intestinal mucosa, including mucosal immunology and processes related to digestion, is now becoming more apparent. Increasingly, research in nutrition and gut physiology will benefit from an appreciation of the properties of glycans and their roles in cell function. This course is designed to cover what is known about glycans, and to relate it to problems in gut physiology, including digestion, and in the relationships between the mucosal epithelia resident bacteria, including pathogens. Thus, this course will provide perspective with its early coverage of the general principles in glycobiology. A major topic will be the biosynthesis, metabolism, and function of the glycans. The interactions between glycans and glycan-binding proteins (lectins) will be discussed in detail. The use of methods specific to the analysis of glycans structure and function will be reviewed and critiqued. Finally, the application of research in glycobiology to problems related to gut physiology, mucosal immunity, gut ontogeny, symbiosis between humans and their microflora, and nutrition will be discussed in detail. Each two-hour session (typically one per week) will be organized and presented by one of the students, with preceptors present to add perspective and outside information to the discussion.

Syllabus

1 Historical background and overview; Saccharide structure and nomenclature
2 Evolution of glycans diversity; Protein-Glycan interactions
3 Exploring the biological roles of glycans; Monosaccharide metabolism
4 N-glycans; O-glycans
5 Glycosphingolipids; glycosphingolipid anchors
6 Proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans; Other classes of Golgi-derived glycans
7 Nuclear and cytoplasmic glycosylation; The O-GlcNAc modification
8 Sialic acids; Structures common to different types of glycans
9 Glycosyltransferases; Degradation and turnover of glycans
10 Glycosylation in "model" organisms; Glycobiology of plant cells
11 Bacterial polysaccharides; Discovery and classification of animal lectins
12 P-type lectins; I-type lectins
13 C-type lectins; Selectins
14 S-type lectins (Galectins); Microbial glycans-binding proteins
15 Glycosaminoglycan-binding proteins; Plant lectins
16 Methods: Structural analysis of glycans; Chemical and enzymatic synthesis of glycans
17 Methods: Inhibitors of glycosylation; Glycobiology in biotechnology and medicine
18,19 Intestinal expression of glycans: ontogeny; role in microflora symbiosis; enteric pathogenesis
20, 21 Dietary glycans: nutrients, antigens, anti-nutrients
22 Human milk glycans