title: Glycomics: revealing the dynamic ecology and evolution of sugar molecules.
abstract: Sugars are the most functionally and structurally diverse molecules in the biological world. Glycan structures range from tiny single monosaccharide units to giant chains thousands of units long. Some glycans are branched, their monosaccharides linked together in many different combinations and orientations. Some exist as solitary molecules; others are conjugated to proteins and lipids and alter their collective functional properties. In addition to structural and storage roles, glycan molecules participate in and actively regulate physiological and developmental processes. Glycans also mediate cellular interactions within and between individuals. Their roles in ecology and evolution are pivotal, but not well studied because glycan biochemistry requires different methods than standard molecular biology practice. The properties of glycans are in some ways convenient, and in others challenging. Glycans vary on organismal timescales, and in direct response to physiological and ecological conditions. Their mature structures are physical records of both genetic and environmental influences during maturation. We describe the scope of natural glycan variation and discuss how studying glycans will allow researchers to further integrate the fields of ecology and evolution.
authors.affiliation: Glycobiology Research and Training Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92039, USA; Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92039, USA. Electronic address: stevan.springer@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Stevan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Springer
authors.affiliation: Glycobiology Research and Training Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92039, USA; Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92039, USA. Electronic address: pgagneux@ucsd.edu.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gagneux
mesh_terms: D004463:Ecology; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D054794:Glycomics; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011134:Polysaccharides
keywords: Cellular ecology; Glycans; Glycoconjugates; Natural variation; Polymorphism