Structural Glycobiology

The aim of the present research project is to structurally and functionally characterize the basis of protein carbohydrate recognition, with the long-term goal of engineering the carbohydrate specificity of carbohydrate binding proteins. This research fie ld is central to many cellular processes (e.g. cell-cell interaction, cellular signaling and differentiation, immune response) that are at the core of important diseases. Understanding the roles of carbohydrates in these processes and how they interact wi th proteins is expected to have a large impact on the development of new treatments against many human diseases. The proposed project currently focuses on the structure/function analysis of three systems - soluble lectins, mucins and adhesins. The propo sed project involves close collaboration between structurally and medically oriented research groups. Many of these collaborations developed due to my central involvement in the Swedish SSF sponsored program "Glycoconjugates in biological systems" (GLIBS) . Also included are new collaborations to glycobiology groups at the University of Oslo. Structural characterization (by X-ray crystallography, molecular modeling and possibly by NMR), protein engineering and carbohydrate binding studies shall be pursued hand in hand with functional characterization in order to probe protein-carbohydrate interactions. I have recently accepted an associate professorship at the University of Oslo. This proposal seeks funding for my main research activities and will therefo re be of crucial importance for establishing protein crystallography in Oslo. It will further be of high relevance for the nationally prioritized FUGE program: With two high-profile protein crystallography laboratories in Norway, one focusing on medically important targets (Oslo) and one targeting marine pathogens and fish (Tromsø), the chances are significantly enhanced that FUGE can achieve its ambitious goals.