NMR IN GLYCOSCIENCE AND GLYCOTECHNOLOGY (HB 2017)

This volume focuses on solution and solid-state NMR of carbohydrates, glycoproteins, glyco-technologies, biomass and related topics. It is estimated that at least 80% of all proteins are glycoproteins. Because of the complexity, heterogeneity and flexibility of the sugar chains, the structural biology approaches for glycoconjugates have been generally avoided. NMR techniques although well established for structural analyses of proteins and nucleic acids, cannot be simply applied to this complex class of biomolecules. Nonetheless, recently developed NMR techniques for carbohydrates open the door to conformational studies of a variety of sugar chains of biological interest. NMR studies on glycans will have significant impact on the development of vaccines, adjuvants, therapeutics, biomarkers and on biomass regeneration.

In this volume, the Editors have collected the most up-to-date NMR applications from experts in the field of carbohydrate NMR spectroscopy. Timely and useful, not only for NMR specialists, it will appeal to researchers in the general field of structural biology, biochemistry and biophysics, molecular and cellular biology and material science.

Koichi Kato received his Ph.D. in 1991 at Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, the University of Tokyo under the supervision of Prof. Yoji Arata, and continued his research as Assistant Professor and Lecturer in the same institution. In 2000 he moved to Nagoya City University as full Professor. Since 2006 he has also been a Visiting Professor at the Glycoscience Institute, Ochanomizu University. In 2008 he moved to his current position at Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, holding a Professor position concurrently at Nagoya City University. His research interests include structural analyses of glycoconjugates by NMR spectroscopy and other biophysical and biochemical methods.