System and method for representing n-linked glycan structures

Abstract

A fixed-length alpha-numeric code for representing N-linked glycan structures commonly found in secreted glycoproteins from mammalian cell cultures. The code employs a pre-assigned alpha-numeric index to represent the monosaccharides attached in different branches to the core glycan structure. The present branch-centric representation allows visualization of the structure while the numerical nature of the code makes it machine readable. A difference operator can be defined to quantitatively differentiate between glycan structures for further analysis. The code can be incorporated in a retrievable format into an information management system. A method is also provided for representing the structure of at least a portion of an oligosaccharide, using the fixed-length alpha-numeric code.

Description

[0001] References to related applications [0002] This patent application is based on, and claims priority from, US Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60 / 929,163, filed June 15, 2007, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. technical field [0003] The present invention relates to a system for describing glycan structures that can be easily stored and translated by a computer. Background technique [0004] Glycans are complex chains of oligosaccharides that play key roles in several structural and regulatory functions of cells. Although glycans are considered to be one of the most important types of molecules after DNA and proteins, the development of informatics methods to support and facilitate their study has lagged behind the available data for other types. Only in recent years has the availability of informatics resources such as glycan databases and algorithms for analyzing glycan structures and their interactions increased (Pérez S,...

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Problems solved by technology

However, the IUPAC description is vague and does not adequately describe all glycans in a computer-readable format

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