Creation
and screening of bioactive HS saccharide libraries
The aim of this project is to create libraries
of novel bioactive sulphated saccharides
from the cell-surface polysaccharide
HS and
from the related polysaccharide, heparin.
Structure/activity studies on HS sequences
is an area at the forefront of the
glycobiology
field and is now poised for rapid progress
due to the recent development of exosequencing-based
strategies for rapid and direct read-out
sequencing of HS saccharides (Turnbull
et
al, 1999). Bioassay screening of the
libraries
will afford the opportunity to exploit
this
advance, since bioactive saccharides
with
particular functional properties will
be
identified and rapidly sequenced (Guimond
& Turnbull, 1999). This concerted
approach
will dramatically enhance our ability
to
undertake detailed structure/activity
studies
on HS in a variety of biological systems.
Refs:
Turnbull, JE, Hopwood, J. & Gallagher,
JT. (1999) A strategy for rapid sequencing
of heparan sulphate/heparin saccharides.
Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 96, 2698-2703
Guimond, SE & Turnbull JE. (1999)
Fibroblast
growth factor receptor signalling is
dictated
by specific Heparan sulphate saccharides.
Current Biology 9, 1343-1346.
