What Is Complex N-Glycan?

In vertebrates, cell surface N-glycans exist in the form of high mannose type, complex type, and heterozygous type. Among these, complex-type N-glycans specifically refer to N-glycans in which both α3- and α6-linked mannose residues are partially replaced by GlcNAc. The form and expression of N-glycans change during vertebrate embryogenesis, cell activation, morphogenesis, cell cycle entry, and cell transformation by oncogenes. Mechanisms of physiological regulation by complex N-glycans will also involve glycoproteins targeting and modifying glycan structures. Therefore, research on the structure, modification, and application of complex N-glycans is an important part of physiology.

Fig.1 Validation of a schematic diagram for immunomodulation of N-glycan biosynthesis. (Wikipedia)

Cell Surface Complex Type N-glycan Glycoengineering Service at CD BioGlyco

Complex N-glycans are an indispensable part of the growth process of living organisms, and at the same time, N-glycan-based glycoengineering has an important place in biomedicine. At CD BioGlyco, we provide stable and efficient glycoengineering services in complex N-glycans as follows:

• Structure of complex N-glycans
  Glycans are characterized by complexity, macroscopic inhomogeneity (multiple glycosylation sites on proteins), and microscopic inhomogeneity (different polysaccharides can be attached to the same binding site), so the study of the structural resolution of glycan chains is one of the main focuses of glycomics research. At CD BioGlyco, we utilize mass spectrometry (MS), liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (CE-MS) to analyze the structure of complex N-glycans.
• Functions of complex N-glycans
  We provide complex N-glycans protein glycosylation services and also apply them to monoclonal antibodies (mAb), Fc fusion proteins, coagulation factors, and cytokines (e.g. erythropoietin). In addition, we provide services on the effect of complex N-glycans in terms of efficacy, stability, half-life, and safety of antibodies and antibody-derived biotherapeutics.
• Metabolic regulation of complex N-glycans
  N-glycans have an important impact on metabolic and other regulation in vertebrates. Therefore, stable identification and accurate quantification of N-glycans are necessary to gain further understanding of the relevant biological processes as well as to discover new diagnostic hypometabolic markers and therapeutic drug targets. At CD BioGlyco, we offer analysis of complex N-glycans. The analysis steps are generally divided into deglycosylation, glycan extraction, glycan labeling, purification, and glycan analysis.

Fig.2 We provide the specific content of complex N-glucan services. (CD BioGlyco)

Publication

• Paper Title: Progress in the understanding of glycan structure analysis based on mass spectrometry.
• Technology: Use of MS to resolve glycan chains.
• Journal: Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics
• Published: 2017
• Results: In mammals, sugar molecules are mainly found in the form of glycoproteins, which can be broadly categorized into three groups depending on how they are linked to amino acids: N-glycans, O-glycans, and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Glycan spectral analysis of glycan chains can be obtained from intact molecular ion peaks. Due to the complexity of the glycan chain structure, primary mass spectrometry data can detect the mass number of the glycan molecule or glycol complex, and routine secondary mass spectrometry data can be used to determine the linear structure of the glycan chain with simple judgment. In addition, MS technology is a powerful tool for large-scale in vitro diagnostic and biomarker studies, and has been used to analyze changes in the composition and abundance of the N- and O-glycans groups in the sera of cancer patients. Zhang et al. analyzed the structure of neutral oligosaccharide chains on different blood group antigens by using ESI-CID-MS/MS, which provided an important basis for the study of the effect of oligosaccharide chains on blood group system typing, and extended the This method was extended to the identification of major blood group antigens, such as ABO, Lea, Leb, etc.

Applications

• Structural analysis of N-glycans can be used to determine the monosaccharide composition of a particular glycan's chain, thus laying the foundation for determining the physiological function of the glycan in the human body.
• Complex N-glycan-based glycoengineering techniques are used to develop drugs that modulate human immunity.
• Glycan-based glycoengineering can be used to develop the half-life and targeting of recombinant protein drugs.

Advantages

• We have a complete glycoengineering system to provide clients with comprehensive glycoengineering services on complex N-glycans.
• Our service is efficient and stable.
• We provide clients with detailed research reports.

CD BioGlyco has specialized researchers who have constructed a comprehensive glycoengineering platform. We have accumulated years of research experience in the study of complex N-glycans. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.