| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
SUZUKI Akemi The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, Frontier Research System, Groupleader, フロンティア研究システム, グループリーダー (70134533)
SAITO Masaki Meiji Pharmaceutical University, Profeesor, 教授 (60012762)
MURAMATSU Takashi Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Professor, 医学研究科, 教授 (00030891)
KAWASAKI Toshisuke Kyoto University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Professor, 薬学研究科, 教授 (50025706)
OGAWA Tomoya The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, Executive director, 理事 (30087572)
|
|---|
| Research Abstract |
Sugar chains are major components of glycoconjugates such as glycoproteins, glycolipids and proteoglycans, and it is well known that the sugar chains play important roles in many biological processes. However, since earlier studies on sugar chains were carried out in terms of structural analyses, it was difficult to elucidate physiological significance and biological functions of the sugar chalns. Recently, many glycosyltransferase genes which are involved in the biosyntheses of sugar chains have been molecularly cloned, and the strategies using these glycosyltransferase genes enabled us to modify the sugar chain structures in cells and animals. In this research project, roles of the sugar chains have been analyzed by the "sugar chain remodeling" in order to investigate biological events which have not been fully explained by the studies based on protein and nucleic acid molecules. Moreover, we have also made many efforts to provide new insights into previous medical and biological studies via such an approach involving sugar chain remodeling.
As shown by evidence that glycosylation is absolutely required for formation of ultimate functional molecules in many cases, we cannot understand biological events oniy by genomic studies, and, therefore, importance of glycobiology in the post-genomic area has been widely recognized. Many valuable achievements, which had been made for a relatively short period of 3 years, would lead to further development of glycobiological science, and, furthermore, should contribute to other related research fields such as oncology and immunology.
|
