Carbohydrate Structure and Function Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts from carbohydrate structure and function, emphasizing glycan-related biochemical processes and their biological relevance.

Carbohydrates

The most abundant biomolecules in nature, essential for cellular communication and energy storage.

Glycoconjugates

Molecules consisting of carbohydrates and proteins or lipids, playing a critical role in biological functions.

Monosaccharides

Simple sugars that are the building blocks of carbohydrates, such as glucose, galactose, and fructose.

Glycotransferases

Enzymes that add sugar units to proteins or lipids, forming glycosylated molecules.

Glycosidases

Enzymes that remove sugar units from glycans.

Proteoglycans

Glycoconjugates consisting mainly of carbohydrates, important for structure and function in the extracellular matrix.

Amino acids involved in glycosylation

Typically serine and threonine for O-linked, and asparagine for N-linked glycosylation.

Peptidoglycans

Polysaccharides forming the structure of bacterial cell walls, composed of alternating hexosamine and muramic acid.

Antibiotic resistance mechanisms

Methods by which bacteria resist the effects of antibiotics, such as β-lactamase activity.

ABO blood group system

Classification of blood types based on the presence or absence of specific glycosyltransferases.

Chitin

A structural polysaccharide found in the exoskeletons of insects and fungal cell walls.

Cellulose

A polysaccharide that forms the rigid structure of plant cell walls, composed of β-1,4 glycosidic bonds.

Oligosaccharides in human milk

Complex sugars that promote growth of beneficial bacteria in infants, crucial for gut health.

Glycan recognition

The specific binding interactions between glycans and proteins, vital for cellular signals and immune response.

Starch and glycogen

Storage forms of carbohydrates, differing in branching and structure.

Gram staining

A method used to classify bacteria based on the properties of their cell walls.

Penicillin

An antibiotic that inhibits the synthesis of peptidoglycan, effective against certain bacteria.

Prebiotics vs Probiotics

Prebiotics are nutrients for bacteria, while probiotics are live bacteria beneficial for health.

Sialic acid

A type of monosaccharide involved in cell signaling and recognition, often found in glycoproteins.

Glycosylation

A post-translational modification process adding sugars to proteins or lipids.

Fucose

A deoxy sugar that often participates in glycosylation, relevant in blood group antigens.