Investigations to ascertain the physiological roles of carbohydrates in
biological systems are being given more importance each day. Basically, carbohydrates
are biomolecules with a wide range of biological functions, although they represent the
primary energy source for metabolic processes. Carbohydrates are found as structural
components in connective tissue in animal organisms. They also act as structural
elements in both plant and bacterial cell walls. In the cell, they bind to lipids and
proteins to form glycoconjugates called glycolipids, glycopeptides, glycoproteins and
peptidoglycans. By binding to lipids and proteins on the cell surface, they perform as
molecules that support intercellular adhesion and intercellular communication.
Glycobiology is the science that investigates the structure, biosynthesis, and impacts of
glycans on biological functions. In biology, glycoconjugates serve a variety of key
roles. In mammalian cells, the majority of proteins are glycosylated, and this explains
how proteins perform their various functions. In the future, these techniques will be
crucial for the identification and treatment of specific diseases. The most major area of
progress in glycobiology is the development of carbohydrate-based medicines.
Some diseases, including cancer, can be diagnosed via altered cell surface
glycosylation pathways as a biomarker. Therefore, regulating glycosylation mechanisms and understanding the phenotypic characteristics of glycoconjugates are crucial
steps in the design of novel strategies.
This chapter discusses the biosynthesis of glycoconjugates, their wide range of
biological functions, and their significance for therapy
Keywords: Biomarker, Biosynthesis, Carbohydrate, Cancer, Diagnosis, Function, Glycan, Glycosylation, Glycoconjugate, Glycoprotein, Glycolipid, Glycosidases, Membrane, N-Glycan, O-Glycan, Oligosaccharide, Protein, Proteoglycan, Transferases, Therapeutic Effects.
