Protein-Carbohydrate Interactions in Infectious Diseases

Protein-Carbohydrate Interactions in Infectious Diseases
Author: Carole A Bewley
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
Total Pages: 265
Release: 2007-10-31
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1847555330

Protein-carbohydrate interactions is an exciting area of research with huge potential for development and exploration. These interactions are both widespread and diverse in biological processes and many play a crucial role in cellular recognition, attachment and adhesion. This is particularly true for host-pathogen interactions that lead to infectious diseases; as the surfaces of cells and pathogens display complex carbohydrate structures and carbohydrate binding proteins on their surface. Protein-Carbohydrate Interactions in Infectious Disease is part of the Biomolecular Science Series and provides a comprehensive overview of the subject, with contributions from leading experts in the field. Beginning with a general introduction, subsequent sections include: Atomic basis of protein-carbohydrate interactions, Structures and roles of Pseudomonas areuginosa lectins, Protein-carbohydrate interactions in enterobacterial infections, Retrocyclins: miniature lectins with potent antiviral activity, C-type lectin receptors that regulate pathogen recognition through the recognition of carbohydrates, Synthetic carbohydrate-based anti-malarial vaccines and glycobiology. With full colour throughout and an extensive bibliography this book is ideal for researchers interested in the area.

Carbohydrate-based Vaccines

Carbohydrate-based Vaccines
Author: René Roy
Publisher: ACS Symposium
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2008
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780841239838

This book is the first of its kind entirely dedicated to carbohydrate vaccines written by renowned scientists with expertise in carbohydrate chemistry and immunochemistry. It covers the synthesis of carbohydrate antigens related to bacteria and parasites such as: Heamophilus influenza, Streptococcus pnemoniae, Shigella flexneri, Candida albicans, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Chlamydia. The first three chapters are of wide interest as they cover fundamental concerns in new vaccine developments. The first one presents the immune system and how carbohydrate antigens are processed before protective antibodies are produced. It also illustrates antigen presentation in the context of major histocompatibility complexes (MHCs). The second chapter describes regulatory issues when carbohydrate vaccines are involved while the third one discuss several techniques used in conjugation chemistry and the implication of certain chemical linkages that may induce unexpected anti-linker antibodies. This section will be particularly appealing for those involved in drug-conjugate design, pro-drug developments, and drug vectorization. The book concludes with one chapter that illustrates the principle through which peptide antigens can functionally mimic carbohydrate epitopes, thus, unraveling the potential for peptide surrogates as replacement for complex carbohydrate structures. This book is unique in that it covers all aspects related to carbohydrate vaccines including the success story with the first semi-synthetic bacterial polysaccharide vaccine against Heamophilus influenza type b responsible for pneumonia and meningitis, liable for more than 600,000 infant deaths worldwide in developing countries. The book also presents regulatory issues and will thus be vital for government agencies approving candidate vaccines. It widely covers synthetic methodologies for the attachment of carbohydrate antigens to peptides and immunogenic protein carriers. Vaccines against bacterial antigens, cancer, and parasites are also discussed by worldwide experts in this field in details. No other book contains such a wide panel of different expertise. It will also be useful to students and researchers involved with the immunology of forreings antigens and how the under appreciated carbohydrate antigens are processed by the immune system.

Essentials of Glycobiology

Essentials of Glycobiology
Author: Ajit Varki
Publisher: CSHL Press
Total Pages: 694
Release: 1999
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 9780879696818

Sugar chains (glycans) are often attached to proteins and lipids and have multiple roles in the organization and function of all organisms. "Essentials of Glycobiology" describes their biogenesis and function and offers a useful gateway to the understanding of glycans.

Protein-Ligand Interactions

Protein-Ligand Interactions
Author: Hans-Joachim Böhm
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 262
Release: 2006-03-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3527605517

The lock-and-key principle formulated by Emil Fischer as early as the end of the 19th century has still not lost any of its significance for the life sciences. The basic aspects of ligand-protein interaction may be summarized under the term 'molecular recognition' and concern the specificity as well as stability of ligand binding. Molecular recognition is thus a central topic in the development of active substances, since stability and specificity determine whether a substance can be used as a drug. Nowadays, computer-aided prediction and intelligent molecular design make a large contribution to the constant search for, e. g., improved enzyme inhibitors, and new concepts such as that of pharmacophores are being developed. An up-to-date presentation of an eternally young topic, this book is an indispensable information source for chemists, biochemists and pharmacologists dealing with the binding of ligands to proteins.

Transforming Glycoscience

Transforming Glycoscience
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 171
Release: 2012-10-23
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309260868

A new focus on glycoscience, a field that explores the structures and functions of sugars, promises great advances in areas as diverse as medicine, energy generation, and materials science, this report finds. Glycans-also known as carbohydrates, saccharides, or simply as sugars-play central roles in many biological processes and have properties useful in an array of applications. However, glycans have received little attention from the research community due to a lack of tools to probe their often complex structures and properties. Transforming Glycoscience: A Roadmap for the Future presents a roadmap for transforming glycoscience from a field dominated by specialists to a widely studied and integrated discipline, which could lead to a more complete understanding of glycans and help solve key challenges in diverse fields.

Bacterial Adhesion to Cells and Tissues

Bacterial Adhesion to Cells and Tissues
Author: Itzhak Ofek
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 585
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1468464353

Attachment to host cells or tissues is often the first step in the establishment of bacterial infections. A complex array of recognition, attachment, and virulence factors is involved in this process, which recent research has greatly illuminated. This comprehensive and authoritative volume discusses the specific cell and tissue-specific affinities of pathogenic microorganisms, including bioinorganic surfaces such as teeth, and is an essential reference for researchers and students of host-pathogen interactions.

Learning from SARS

Learning from SARS
Author: Institute of Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 376
Release: 2004-04-26
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0309182158

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in late 2002 and 2003 challenged the global public health community to confront a novel epidemic that spread rapidly from its origins in southern China until it had reached more than 25 other countries within a matter of months. In addition to the number of patients infected with the SARS virus, the disease had profound economic and political repercussions in many of the affected regions. Recent reports of isolated new SARS cases and a fear that the disease could reemerge and spread have put public health officials on high alert for any indications of possible new outbreaks. This report examines the response to SARS by public health systems in individual countries, the biology of the SARS coronavirus and related coronaviruses in animals, the economic and political fallout of the SARS epidemic, quarantine law and other public health measures that apply to combating infectious diseases, and the role of international organizations and scientific cooperation in halting the spread of SARS. The report provides an illuminating survey of findings from the epidemic, along with an assessment of what might be needed in order to contain any future outbreaks of SARS or other emerging infections.

The Sugar Code

The Sugar Code
Author: Hans-Joachim Gabius
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 560
Release: 2011-09-19
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3527644946

A reader friendly overview of the structure and functional relevance of natural glycosylation and its cognate proteins (lectins), this book is also one of the few books to cover their role in health and disease. Edited by one of the pioneering experts in the field and written by a team of renowned researchers this resource is a perfect introduction for all students in life and medical sciences, biochemistry, chemistry and pharmacy. Website: WWW.WILEY-VCH.DE/HOME/THESUGARCODE

Lessons in Immunity

Lessons in Immunity
Author: Loriano Ballarin
Publisher: Academic Press
Total Pages: 326
Release: 2016-04-08
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0128032537

Lessons in Immunity: From Single-cell Organisms to Mammals stems from the activity of the Italian Association of Developmental and Comparative Immunobiology (IADCI), represented by the editors. This book is presented as a series of short overviews that report on the current state of various relevant fields of immunobiology from an evolutionary perspective. The overviews are written by authors directly involved in the research, and most are members of the IADCI or have otherwise been involved in the related research for their respective overview. This publication offers scientists and teachers an easy and updated reference tool. - Provides simple and updated reviews on the immunobiology of a wide spectrum of organisms, considered in an evolutionary context - Focuses on both cells and humoral components of a variety of non-classical model organisms - Offers in a single volume many contributions which can help with understanding the evolution of immune responses and the main adaptations in animal phyla - Presents a valuable holistic cross-sectional approach for teaching immunology and its applications