glycoprotein metabolic process

Definition

Target type: biologicalprocess

The chemical reactions and pathways involving glycoproteins, a protein that contains covalently bound glycose (i.e. monosaccharide) residues; the glycose occurs most commonly as oligosaccharide or fairly small polysaccharide but occasionally as monosaccharide. [GOC:go_curators, ISBN:0198506732]

Glycoprotein metabolic process encompasses a series of intricate biochemical reactions that modify proteins by attaching carbohydrate moieties, known as glycans. These modifications, collectively referred to as glycosylation, play pivotal roles in determining protein structure, function, and localization within cells and organisms. Glycosylation is a highly regulated and complex process involving a multitude of enzymes, including glycosyltransferases, glycosidases, and sugar nucleotide synthases, acting in a coordinated manner. Glycosyltransferases catalyze the addition of specific sugar residues to the protein backbone, while glycosidases remove sugar residues. Sugar nucleotide synthases generate the activated sugar donors required for glycosylation. The process begins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where N-linked glycosylation, the attachment of glycans to asparagine residues, takes place. This initial glycosylation event is crucial for protein folding and stability. As proteins translocate to the Golgi apparatus, further modifications occur, including the trimming and processing of glycans, as well as the addition of complex sugar structures. The resulting glycoproteins exhibit diverse biological functions, including cell-cell recognition, signal transduction, immune response, and protein trafficking. Dysregulation of glycoprotein metabolic processes can lead to a range of diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders.'
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Proteins (2)

Compounds (7)