NWNR300901 Organic chemistry and immunobiology of carbohydrates

Type
Lecture
Semester hours
2
Lecturer (assistant)
Zamyatina, Alla
Organisation
Organic Chemistry
Offered in
Wintersemester 2026/27
Languages of instruction
Englisch
Content

Carbohydrates (saccharides, glycans) are among the most abundant and structurally diverse molecules in nature. Beyond their familiar roles as energy sources and structural materials, glycans are essential components of cells and organisms and contribute to a wide range of biological functions. In cells, glycans are frequently attached to proteins or lipids, forming glycoproteins, proteoglycans, and glycolipids. These glycoconjugates are major components of cell surfaces, where they form a dense and information-rich layer known as the glycocalyx. The glycocalyx plays a central role in molecular recognition, cell–cell communication, and interactions with the surrounding environment.

The course introduces the structural and chemical foundations of carbohydrates and explains how glycans are assembled and modified in cells by glycosyltransferases and other glycan-modifying enzymes. We will explore how differences in the structures of mono-, oligo-, and polysaccharides determine their recognition by receptors, enzymes, antibodies, and other carbohydrate-binding proteins, examine sugar–protein interactions at the molecular level by analysing carbohydrate-binding sites, and discuss how these interactions can be exploited in biotechnology and therapeutic development. The composition and structure of glycans on glycoproteins can change substantially in diseases such as cancer, autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. These alterations provide a basis for diagnostic approaches, biomarker discovery, and the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

Carbohydrates also play an important role at the interface between microorganisms and their hosts. Innate immune receptors can recognize characteristic carbohydrate structures of pathogens and initiate signaling pathways that contribute to host defense. Conversely, many microorganisms produce carbohydrate-binding proteins that recognize specific host glycan structures. Thus, cell-surface glycans can serve as important docking and recognition sites for pathogens, influencing microbial adhesion, colonization, and infection.

Particular emphasis is placed on the relationship between carbohydrate structural diversity and biological function, and on how glycan–protein interactions can be exploited for the development of novel carbohydrate-based therapeutics.
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Previous knowledge expected

The lecture is aimed at students who are currently enrolled in master's programmes in:
•418 Biotechnology (UG2002)
•417 Lebensmittelwissenschaften und -technologie (UG2002)
•416 Natural Resources Management and Ecological Engineering
Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)

By the end of the course, students will be able to:
•describe the structural and chemical principles of carbohydrates and distinguish between structures of most common biologically important mono-, oligo-, and polysaccharides;
•explain how glycans are biosynthesized and modified in cells,
•relate carbohydrate structural diversity to biological function;
•explain how glycans are recognized by receptors, enzymes, antibodies, and other carbohydrate-binding proteins;
•analyze sugar–protein interactions at the molecular level, including the structural features of carbohydrate-binding sites;
•describe the roles of glycans in cell communication, immune recognition, host–pathogen interactions, and disease;
•explain how disease-associated changes in glycosylation can be used for biomarker discovery, diagnostics, and therapeutic development;
•evaluate how glycan–protein interactions and carbohydrate structures can be exploited in biotechnology and the development of novel therapeutics.
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You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.