Proteoglycan and Glycosaminoglycan Structure
This page describes research led by Joseph Zaia, member of the Department of Biochemistry and Associate Director of the Mass Spectrometry Resource at Boston University School of Medicine.
The mission of this reseach effort is to catalyze progress in proteoglycan biochemistry by gaining insight into the biological implications of the structural diversity of these molecules. Proteoglycans are found on the surfaces of every mammalian cell and in extracellular matrices, yet their functions are not well understood. Research focuses on sequencing glycosaminoglycans using mass spectrometry and determining the domain structure and protein binding properties of these molecules.
Research focuses on the functional implications of glycosaminoglycan structure and structural diversity. Understanding of the molecular basis for glycosaminoglycan function entials the ability to rapidly correlate structure and protein binding activity. Mass spectrometry shows great potential for meeting these needs.
We have developed a number of excel based computational tools for interpretation of mass spectra of glycosamino glycans. These are available for academic and non-profit users. Please contact Joe Zaia for information.
