Do I know you, sugar?

I was reading this interesting article today.

A molecule that can recognise carbohydrates could further the fight against infections.

The carbohydrate-containing compound lipid A is found in certain bacteria and can cause septic shock, a serious condition that may lead to organ failure and death. Ben Miller at the University of Rochester, New York, US, said molecules that selectively bind lipid A could be used to diagnose infection or to treat septic shock.

'Molecular recognition of carbohydrates is a challenging problem,' said Miller. 'Carbohydrates look a lot like bulk solvent, and are more complex than other biopolymers because they have a lot of branching points.' Despite these problems Miller and his University of Rochester co-workers succeeded in designing a molecule, called TW545, that recognises lipid A.

Miller describes TW545 as a 'stepping stone' towards new strategies for molecular recognition of carbohydrates. He is especially interested in using carbohydrate-binding molecules for diagnostic purposes. A number of proteins relevant to human health contain carbohydrate groups, said Miller, so molecules that recognise these could be put to good medical use.


Posted by: Sarah    Source