A Lifetime of Adventures in Glycobiology

Stuart Kornfeld

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

My initial research experience involved studying how bacteria synthesize nucleotide sugars, the donors for the formation of cell wall polysaccharides. During this time, I became aware that mammalian cells also have a surface coat of sugars and was intrigued as to whether these sugars might be arranged in specific sequences that function as information molecules in biologic processes. Thus began a long journey that has taken me from glycan structural analysis and determination of plant lectin-binding preferences to the biosynthesis of Asn-linked oligosaccharides and the mannose 6-phosphate (Man-6-P) lysosomal enzyme targeting pathway. The Man-6-P system represents an early example of a glycan serving as an information molecule in a fundamental cellular function. The remarkable advances in the field of glycobiology since I entered have uncovered scores of additional examples of oligosaccharide-lectin interactions mediating critical biologic processes. It has been a rewarding experience to participate in the efforts that have established a central role for glycans in biology.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-21
Number of pages21
JournalAnnual review of biochemistry
Volume87
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 20 2018

Keywords

  • I-cell dise
  • cch
  • glycoprotein
  • lectin
  • lysosomes
  • m
  • mucolipidosis II
  • nnose 6-phosph
  • oligos
  • phy
  • ride
  • se
  • te
  • utobiogr

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