Structure/function studies of glycosyltransferases

Glycosyltransferases are the enzymes that synthesize oligosaccharides, poly saccharides and glycoconjugates. The analysis of the wealth of sequences th at are now available in databases allowed the determination of conserved pe ptide motifs for each class of enzyme. Recent experimental data demonstrate d their importance in donor and acceptor substrate binding and in catalysis . Fold-recognition studies provided the first models of the catalytic domai ns of some of these enzymes, while the first successes in glycosyltransfera se crystallography are opening new routes in structural glycobiology.