THE TIES THAT BIND CARBOHYDRATES AND PROTEINS TOGETHER

摘要

Carbohydrate-protein interactions are essential for a variety of biological processes, including cellular recognition and immune function. Researchers are not sure which physical force dominates in bringing carbohydrates and proteins together: hydrogen bonding, the hydrophobic effect, or the attraction between CH bonds and aromatic rings. Jeffery Kelly and colleagues collect structural and energetic data on a series of molecules to tease out the relative contributions of the latter two forces to carbohydrate and protein binding.