GlycoSuiteDB: a new curated relational database of glycoprotein glycan structures and their biological sources

GlycoSuiteDB is a relational database that curates information from the sci entific literature on glycoprotein derived glycan structures, their biologi cal sources, the references in which the glycan was described and the metho ds used to determine the glycan structure. To date, the database includes m ost published O-linked oligosaccharides from the last 50 years and most N-l inked oligosaccharides that were published in the 1990s. For each structure , information is available concerning the glycan type, linkage and anomeric configuration, mass and composition. Detailed information is also provided on native and recombinant sources, including tissue and/or cell type, cell line, strain and disease state. Where known, the proteins to which the gly can structures are attached are reported, and crossreferences to the SWISS- PROT/TrEMBL protein sequence databases are given if applicable. The GlycoSu iteDB annotations include literature references which are linked to PubMed, and detailed information on the methods used to determine each glycan stru cture are noted to help the user assess the quality of the structural assig nment. GlycoSuiteDB has a user-friendly web interface which allows the rese archer to query the database using monoisotopic or average mass, monosaccha ride composition, glycosylation linkages (e.g. N- or O-linked), reducing te rminal sugar, attached protein, taxonomy, tissue or cell type and GlycoSuit eDB accession number. Advanced queries using combinations of these paramete rs are also possible. GlycoSuiteDB can be accessed on the web at http://www .glycosuite.com.