Parasite breaks its own DNA to avoid detection

The parasite Trypanosoma brucei, which causes African sleeping sickness, is like a thief donning a disguise. Every time the host's immune cells get close to destroying the parasite, it escapes detection by rearranging its ...

A winning combination for glycoprotein synthesis

Many processes in the body are regulated by the functions of proteins. For example, almost all molecules—such as DNA, proteins, oligosaccharides, and small bioactive molecules—are generated by enzymes. However, changes ...

Engineered bacteria churn out cancer biomarkers

Pity the glycan—these complex sugar molecules are attached to 80% of the proteins in the human body, making them an essential ingredient of life. But this process, known as glycosylation, has been somewhat overshadowed ...

Polymers to the rescue! Saving cells from damaging ice

Cell therapies hold great promise for revolutionizing the treatment of cancers and autoimmune diseases. But this multibillion-dollar industry requires long-term storage of cells at super-cold cryogenic conditions, while ensuring ...

Revealing the structure of an elusive quality control enzyme

The structure of the critical quality control checkpoint enzyme that oversees the production of thousands of secreted glycoproteins has been solved by a fruitful collaborative effort at Diamond Light Source. The study, recently ...

Scientists reveal secrets of a deadly virus family

For the first time, scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have solved the structure of the biological machinery used by a common virus to recognize and attack human host cells.

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Glycoprotein

Glycoproteins are proteins that contain oligosaccharide chains (glycans) covalently attached to polypeptide side-chains. The carbohydrate is attached to the protein in a cotranslational or posttranslational modification. This process is known as glycosylation. In proteins that have segments extending extracellularly, the extracellular segments are often glycosylated. Glycoproteins are often important integral membrane proteins, where they play a role in cell–cell interactions. Glycoproteins also occur in the cytosol, but their functions and the pathways producing these modifications in this compartment are less well-understood.

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