7.342 Sweet Discoveries: Unraveling the Complex World of Sugars in Health and Disease (MIT) Glycans, which are complex assemblies of sugars, are the most prevalent class of macromolecules, surpassing nucleic acids, proteins and lipids. Glycans are essential for life, as they are a required energy source, provide protection against cellular stresses and shape cellular structure. During this course, we will explore the many roles glycans play in human health and disease. For example, we will learn about the healthy glycosylation patterns of many mammalian proteins and the dynamic changes that glycan structures undergo during early development and cancer metastasis, the influence of dietary carbohydrates on glycan metabolism, and the role of densely glycosylated proteins involved in HIV infectivity. Concurrently, we will learn about the chemical and biological techniques used to detect and visualize glycans by in vitro and whole-animal metabolic labeling approaches, how to profile …
Posted on: Tue, 09 Dec 2014 03:51:57 +0000
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