© 1999 • 653 pp., illus., glossary, index
Paperback • ISBN  978-087969681-8

Sugar chains (glycans) are often attached to proteins and lipids and have multiple roles in the organization and function of all organisms. They participate in activities as diverse as protein folding, leukocyte physiology, and microbial pathogenesis. Genetic defects in their assembly are at the root of a growing list of human diseases. Essentials of Glycobiology is an ideal gateway to the understanding of glycans, and is the first textbook approach to describing their biogenesis and function. Written and edited by glycobiologists with experience in both teaching and research, this volume will be invaluable for students and established investigators in developmental biology, cell biology, neuroscience, immunology, and biochemistry, who need a complete yet concise introduction to this burgeoning field.

  "This book will greatly help all those ready to enter this challenging, yet promising field."
      —GEORGE E. PALADE, UC San Diego School of Medicine

  "In the era of functional genomics, this book will be indispensable to anyone who encounters a new molecule with an unknown sugar modification."
      —MICHAEL S. BROWN and JOSEPH L. GOLDSTEIN, University of Texas Southwestern at Dallas

  "The treatment is logical and thorough, yet individual topics are presented with refreshing brevity. Although the inherent biology of glycosylation is poorly understood, what is know is presented with clarity and rigor. This is the textbook I wished for six years ago, when I developed an interest in the area. I recommend it as a knowledgeable and readable source of information."
      —RICHARD J. ROBERTS, New England Biolabs

  "Essentials of Glycobiology will be of great value to all of us and will be important for people working in essentially all branches of biology."
      —EDWIN G. KREBS, University of Washington

  "Essentials of Glycobiology fills a longstanding need for a basic textbook in glycobiology and will be most welcome to many scientists who give courses in glycobiology to undergraduate and graduate students. The book is aimed primarily at the relative novice who wishes to obtain a solid introduction to this very complicated and rapidly growing field. In this respect the book is unique and differs from the many advanced reviews, monographs and books that have preceded it. However, the book summarizes much of the current state of the art in glycobiology, although often in a rather abbreviated format, and will therefore also be of value to the expert."
      —Carbohydrates in Europe

  "Essentials of Glycobiology should be required reading for any biologist aspiring to understand the molecular basis of cell and tissue function. It provides an excellent introduction into carbohydrate biology for a novice, and it will be useful for university level teachers seeking additional breadth to their courses in biochemistry or cell biology….

"Essentials of Glycobiology is one of the first books to have the newly coined term ‘glycobiology’ in its title. The authors succeed in giving the word a specific context without being too limiting. They also make clear that through new model systems and recent methodological and conceptual advances, the field is gaining momentum and recognition. New investigators are entering with novel questions and insights. At a deeper level, this book may also help newcomers and other interested readers to appreciate the mind-set needed for thinking constructively about glycans, and for approaching this ‘last frontier’ of biochemistry and cellular biology."
      —Cell

  "This book is aimed at fulfilling a need for an introduction to the field of glycobiology that is both accessible to the outsider but sufficiently comprehensive and detailed to be worth reading by a wide range of scientists. The good news is that, by and large, the authors have succeeded in meeting this aim …. It is a ‘must-buy’ for all medical and biological libraries, as well as for anyone keen to overcome glycophobia and participate in this field as it enters an exciting era of application to biological problems."
      —Trends in Cell Biology

Foreword (by Stuart Kornfeld, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis)

Preface

Contributors

Abbreviations

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

1. Historical Background and Overview
2. Saccharide Structure and Nomenclature
3. Evolution of Glycan Diversity
4. Protein-Glycan Interactions
5. Exploring the Biological Roles of Glycans

BIOSYNTHESIS, METABOLISM, AND FUNCTION

6. Monosaccharide Metabolism
7. N-Glycans
8. O-Glycans
9. Glycosphingolipids
10. Glycophospholipid Anchors
11. Proteoglycans and Glycosaminoglycans
12. Other Classes of Golgi-derived Glycans
13. Nuclear and Cytoplasmic Glycosylation
14. The O-GlcNAc Modification
15. Sialic Acids
16. Structures Common to Different Types of Glycans
17. Glycosyltransferases
18. Degradation and Turnover of Glycans
19. Glycosylation in “Model” Organisms
20. Glycobiology of Plant Cells
21. Bacterial Polysaccharides

PROTEINS THAT RECOGNIZE GLYCANS

22. Discovery and Classification of Animal Lectins
23. P-type Lectins
24. I-type Lectins
25. C-type Lectins
26. Selectins
27. S-type Lectins (Galectins)
28. Microbial Glycan-binding Proteins
29. Glycosaminoglycan-binding Proteins
30. Plant Lectins

GLYCANS IN GENETIC DISORDERS AND DISEASE

31. Genetic Disorders of Glycosylation in Cultured Cells
32. Naturally Occurring Genetic Disorders of Glycosylation in Animals
33. Determining Glycan Function Using Genetically Modified Mice
34. Glycosylation Changes in Ontogeny and Cell Activation
35. Glycosylation Changes in Cancer
36. Glycobiology of Protozoal and Helminthic Parasites
37. Acquired Glycosylation Changes in Human Disease

METHODS AND APPLICATIONS

38. Structural Analysis and Sequencing of Glycans
39. Chemical and Enzymatic Synthesis of Glycans
40. Natural and Synthetic Inhibitors of Glycosylation
41. Glycobiology in Biotechnology and Medicine

Glossary: Commonly Used Terms

Index