Therapeutics discovery via glycotechnology : the development of protein engineered enzymes for the study of galactosaminoglycan neuromedicine

Glycans are chemically heterogeneous macromolecules that have profound importance in a variety of biological processes. Located at the surfaces of cells, deposited in the extracellular matrix, or attached to soluble signaling agents, these molecules are characterized by a structural complexity that has thus far prevented their widespread exploitation in biomedicine. Insight into the fine structure and sequence of these complex biomolecules provides a novel niche for the development of therapeutic interventions. Such an understanding is rapidly accumulating via the molecular cloning, recombinant genetic expression, and protein purification of glycosaminoglycan-degrading enzymes. To this end, enzymes from the chondroitinase family of Pedobacter heparinus and Proteus vulgaris were developed. This library of enzymatic tools will reveal glycoconjugate structure-function motifs, allowed for by structural elucidation of glycan species using coupled bioinformatics/analytical chemistry techniques centered on mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, and capillary electrophoresis.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Biological Engineering Division.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• Prabhakar, Vikas

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Ram Sasisekharan.

• Biological Engineering Division.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/38917
• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Identifier URI

http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/38917

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/38917