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Chemical glycobiology

Lead Research Organisation: John Innes Centre
Department Name: UNLISTED

Abstract

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

Technical Summary

The Field group is diverse in its activities, which range from organic synthesis to mechanistic enzymology and chemical biology. The common theme that runs throughout is carbohydrates. Current research themes include: the development of novel chemical and enzymatic approaches for the preparation of sugar nucleotides, oligosaccharides and glycosylated natural products; structural and mechanistic studies on enzymes involved in bacterial lipopolysaccharide, plant cell wall, plant and microbial and secondary metabolite biosynthesis; carbohydrate-coated surfaces (carbohydrate microarrays, glyco-nanoparticles and glyco-quantum dots) for identifying and quantifying protein-carbohydrate and pathogen-carbohydrate interactions; chemical genomics and chemical proteomics tools for plant cell and developmental biology with a particular emphasis on glycobiology (starch and plant cell metabolism, glycosylated secondary metabolites).

Planned Impact

unavailable

Publications

10 25 50

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Ballell L (2007) New Small-Molecule Synthetic Antimycobacterials in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy

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Ballell L (2007) New thiopyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives as anti-mycobacterial agents. in Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters

 
Description New information on inhibitors of enzymes in starch metabolism, in model plant Arabidopsis and in barley.
A new carbohydrate-binding virus that infect and lyse algae - a key factor in releasing fish-killing toxins from algal blooms.
New enzymatic approaches for the preparation of oligosaccharides, based on glycoside phosphorylases and glycan sucrases
Protein X-ray crystallography studies on enzymes involved in starch metabolism
New carbohydrate-coated surfaces (glyco-nanoparticles) for identifying pathogen-carbohydrate interactions
Exploitation Route Our virus/algal blooms work impacts on policy for waterways management and mitigation strategies. This is being followed up with the Environment Agency and the Broads Authority.

Our enzymatic synthesis work has been taken forward with Innovate UK support - via the Glycoenzymes and GelEnz consortia.
Sectors Agriculture

Food and Drink

Chemicals

Environment

Healthcare

Manufacturing

including Industrial Biotechology

Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology

 
Description Our work on glycosylated natural product toxins has had a major impact on algal bloom management on the Norfolk Broads, from work with the Environment Agency and the Broads Authority. Our enzymatic synthesis work has been taken forward with Innovate UK support - via the Glycoenzymes and GelEnz consortia. It has also been central to training ECRs from Thailand, with four returning to their homeland to take up academic positions (Tantanarat, Kuaudomlarp, Panpetch, Charoenwongpaiboon), all of whom continue to work in carbohydrate biotechnology.
First Year Of Impact 2019
Sector Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology
Impact Types Societal

Economic

Policy & public services

 
Title Enzymatic synthesis of HMO analogies 
Description Through detailed kinetic analysis, we have been able to understand how to use cellodextrin phosphorylase to transfer non-natural substrates to generate new to nature human milk oligosaccharide analogues 
Type Of Material Biological samples 
Year Produced 2020 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact Further studies ongoing to explore HMO analogue bioactivity. 
 
Description CDs 
Organisation Newcastle University
Country United Kingdom 
PI Contribution Evaluation of a glycosynthase for novel cyclodextrin production
Collaborator Contribution Provision of clone of wild type enzyme and active site mutant
Impact Too early to judge
Start Year 2017
 
Description Glycan synthesis 
Organisation Iceni Diagnostics
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Exchange of ideas and staff with regards the chemical synthesis of glycans and sugar phosphates.
Collaborator Contribution Exchange of ideas and staff
Impact Improved methods for the chemical synthesis of glycans and sugar phosphates.
Start Year 2017
 
Description Glycoarrays 
Organisation Newcastle University
Country United Kingdom 
PI Contribution Collaboration on glycoprofiling using microarray approaches to define the carbohydrate content of commercial prebiotics from Bangladesh.
Collaborator Contribution Access to facilities and expertise to print carbohydrate microarrays.
Impact Information for inclusion in publication in due course.
Start Year 2017
 
Description MD starch 
Organisation University of Manchester
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Experimental evaluation of glycan structure and enzyme sensitivityt
Collaborator Contribution Microsecond molecular dynamics simulation to assess glycan-glycan interactions
Impact Too early
Start Year 2017
 
Description PPase 
Organisation University of York
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Work up of scalable synthesis of N-glycan analogues
Collaborator Contribution Clone of N-glycan phosphorylase
Impact Too early
Start Year 2017
 
Company Name Iceni Glycoscience 
Description Iceni Glycoscience develops carbohydrate-based therapeutics and point-of-care diagnostics for infectious diseases using their own research in glycoscience, nanoparticle technology, and bioconjugation chemistry. 
Year Established 2014 
Impact Too early
Website http://www.icenidiagnostics.com
 
Description Algae on the Norfolk Broads 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact A series of stakeholder engagement and Pint of Science events were held to communicate to the public and relevant GROs and NGOs
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2015,2016,2017,2018,2020