Sugar coating is, in fact, important
Like people, whether they want to or not, cells need to interact with others around them. One way people interact is through the way they dress. Indeed, we often are judged by the clothes we wear. Cells are "clothed" in a specialised sugar layer known as the glycocalyx in which specific sugar structures are displayed on proteins and lipids. Based on this outer clothing layer, the cell is recognised by both friend and foe.
In this symposium, we will learn about new ways to identify, locate and quantitate the glycans present on different cells under specific conditions. We also will hear how we can dress cells for success through modification of their surface structures. In another section, we will learn how pathogens can recognize and invade cells through specific glycocalyx structures.
We also will hear several accounts of how cancer progression can be mediated through overexpression of glycans such as sialic acid and heparan. Apparently, as with people, inhibitions can be dampened by exuberance in cellular dressing. Learn about this and more at our symposium.
Keywords: glycosylation, glycocalyx, cellular interfaces, cancer, immunity, infection
Who should attend: anyone who is interested in understanding how cells function and interact with their environment through their surface glycan coat and anyone interested in cool new ways to modulate those interactions through carbohydrate chemistry and enzymology
Theme song (at least for the mucinophiles): "Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen
This session is powered by interdisciplinary science with a sweet touch.
Talks
- Nanoscale physical biology of the cellular glycocalyx — Matthew J. Paszek, Cornell University
- MALDI imaging mass spectrometry mapping of the glycocalyx — Richard R. Drake, Medical University of South Carolina
- Genetic and small molecule strategies to edit the glycocalyx — Sriram Neelamegham鈥�, State University of New York at Buffalo
- Enzymatic removal of cell surface antigens as a route towards universal O type blood and organs — Stephen Withers, University of British Columbia
- Hypersialylation of tumor cells promotes pancreatic cancer progression — Susan Bellis, University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Receptor N-glycosylation links metabolism with signaling — James Dennis, Lunenfeld Tanenbaum Research Institute
- Modeling the mucinous glycocalyx to unravel receptor pattern recognition by influenza A viruses — Kamil Godula, University of California, San Diego
- Cell surface glycan engineering reveals that matriglycan alone can recapitulate dystroglycan binding and function — Geert-Jan Boons, University of Georgia
- The glycocalyx in tumor progression and metastasis — Valerie Weaver, University of California, San Francisco
- The heparanase/syndecan-1 axis in cancer progression — Ralph D. Sanderson, University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Reprogramming T cells to target glycans and overcome glycan-mediated immunosuppression for cancer therapy — Avery Posey, University of Pennsylvania
- Orchestrated intragranular restructuring of mucins during secretory granule maturation — Kelly Ten Hagen, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
Learn more
Check out all ten thematic symposia planned for the 2022 ASBMB annual meeting:
Enjoy reading ASBMB Today?
Become a member to receive the print edition four times a year and the digital edition monthly.
Learn moreFeatured jobs
from the
Get the latest from ASBMB Today
Enter your email address, and we鈥檒l send you a weekly email with recent articles, interviews and more.
Latest in Science
Science highlights or most popular articles
Pesticide disrupts neuronal potentiation
New research reveals how deltamethrin may disrupt brain development by altering the protein cargo of brain-derived extracellular vesicles. Read more about this recent Molecular & Cellular Proteomics article.
A look into the rice glycoproteome
Researchers mapped posttranslational modifications in Oryza sativa, revealing hundreds of alterations tied to key plant processes. Read more about this recent Molecular & Cellular Proteomics paper.
Proteomic variation in heart tissues
By tracking protein changes in stem cell鈥揹erived heart cells, researchers from Cedars-Sinai uncovered surprising diversity 鈥� including a potential new cell type 鈥� that could reshape how we study and treat heart disease.
Parsing plant pigment pathways
Erich Grotewold of Michigan State University, an ASBMB Breakthroughs speaker, discusses his work on the genetic regulation of flavonoid biosynthesis.
Calcium channel linked to cancer drug resistance
Researchers discover a protein associated with carboplatin-resistant retinoblastoma, suggesting this protein could be a promising therapeutic target. Read more about this recent Journal of Biological Chemistry paper.
Host fatty acids enhance dengue virus infectivity
Researchers in Germany find that viral replication depends on host enzymes that synthesize lipids, revealing potential metabolic targets for antiviral intervention. Read more about this recent Journal of Biological Chemistry paper.