title: Development of inhibitors as research tools for carbohydrate-processing enzymes.
abstract: Carbohydrates, which are present in all domains of life, play important roles in a host of cellular processes. These ubiquitous biomolecules form highly diverse and often complex glycan structures without the aid of a template. The carbohydrate structures are regulated solely by the location and specificity of the enzymes responsible for their synthesis and degradation. These enzymes, glycosyltransferases and glycoside hydrolases, need to be functionally well characterized in order to investigate the structure and function of glycans. The use of enzyme inhibitors, which target a particular enzyme, can significantly aid this understanding, and may also provide insights into therapeutic applications. The present article describes some of the approaches used to design and develop enzyme inhibitors as tools for investigating carbohydrate-processing enzymes.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST, U.K. tmg@st-andrews.ac.uk
authors.forename: Tracey M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Gloster
mesh_terms: D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D016695:Glycosyltransferases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015394:Molecular Structure; D054852:Small Molecule Libraries / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D054852:Small Molecule Libraries; D016695:Glycosyltransferases; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases