BIOS 1113 - Glycobiology

Institution:

Yeshiva University

Subject:

Biomedical Sciences (Graduate)

Description:

1113 GLYCOBIOLOGY COURSE LEADER: Dr. Pamela Stanley CREDITS/CLASS MEETINGS: 3 semester hours; one semester course; Approx.15 meetings of 1.52 hrs. Outside seminar speakers (occasional). Invited class leaders. PREREQUISITE BACKGROUND: Undergraduate course(s) in Biochemistry; graduate course(s) in Biochemistry or Molecular Cell Biology, including pathways of complex carbohydrate biosynthesis recommended. SUGGESTED BACKGOUND READING: Essential s of Glycobiology 2nd edition A. Varki et al. Pubmed NCBI Books. Published by Cold Spring Harbor Press. SUITABILITY FOR 1ST YEAR STUDENTS: Only in exceptional cases. This course should be taken after taking the Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology graduate courses. COURSE DESCRIPTION: The aim of this course is to provide students with a perspective on Glycobiology - the identification of functional roles for sugars covalently associated with protein and lipid in eukaryotes. Glycan binding proteins or lectins abound in mammalian cells and tissues. Glycosyltransferases that synthesize the glycan ligands of these lectins have been knocked out in mice and other organisms, and a molecular genetic approach to studies of function is well established. The increase in our knowledge of functional roles for cell surface and extracellular glycans in Drosophila, C. elegans, yeast, mice and humans, and the ability to investigate structure/function relationships with powerful biochemical techniques, has firmly established the field of Glycobiology. The course will consist of about 15 sessions. Each session of 1.5 hours will involve a discussion by the lecturer to provide appropriate background information necessary to critically review a key paper from the literature. Students will be required to read the paper before the class and to be prepared to present and discuss the details in class. The topics chosen for presentation will focus on biological systems in which glycans play a functional role, and on the interests of students that make up the class. Topics discussed in previous years include: the molecular basis of a congential anemia; requirement for glycans in recombinant drugs such as erythropoietin; glycans that mediate cell-cell adhesion; glycosyltransferases that synthesize selectin ligands involved in inflammatory responses; functional roles for specific cell surface glycans in tumorgenicity and metastasis; lectins in mammalian tissues and apoptosis; a regulatory role for cytoplasmic glycosylation; roles of glycans during mammalian embryogenesis; biological roles for proteoglycans; biological roles for sugars in the action of glycoprotein hormones; role of glycans in HIV infection. The genome projects have revealed several hundred glycosyltransferase and glycan binding protein genes in mammals and genetic strategies are identifying their functions. Most recently sugars have been shown to play a direct role in signaling through Notch receptors, identifying a new paradigm for the regulation of signal transduction by glycosylation. NOTE: IN ORDER FOR THIS COURSE TO BE GIVEN, A MINIMUM OF 6 STUDENTS MUST BE REGISTERED.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.yu.edu

Phone Number:

(212) 960-5400

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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