Most proteins on the cell surface is glycosylated and surface glycoproteins play vital roles in regulating nearly every extracellular activity. Aberrant surface glycoproteins are directly related to human disease, including cancer and infectious diseases. Surface glycoproteins can dramatically impact cell adhesion, mobility and solubility, which are correlated with cancer cell invasiveness and metastasis. Considering the importance of surface glycoproteins, comprehensive analysis of glycoproteins on the cell surface and their interactors will help us better understand glycoprotein functions and cellular activities, and identify surface glycoproteins as effective biomarkers and drug targets.<br/><br/>We have worked on developing effective methods to target surface glycoproteins. For example, integrating metabolic labeling and bioorthogonal chemistry, we specifically tagged surface glycoproteins and then selectively enriched them. In combination with MS-based proteomics, we comprehensively and site-specifically analyze surface glycoproteins. The copper-free click reaction is ideal to tag surface glycoproteins because it is quick and specific, and occurs under physiological conditions without cytotoxic heavy metal ions. The tagged surface glycoproteins were selectively enriched for MS analysis. Furthermore, we developed a method integrating chemical crosslinking, an enzymatic reaction, and MS-based proteomics to systematically characterize proteins interacting with surface glycoproteins, and then constructed the surfaceome interaction network. Combining selective enrichment of surface gycoproteins with MS-based proteomics, we systematically target surface glycoproteins and their interactors. Effective methods to study surface glycoproteins and their interactors will be extensively applied in the biochemical and biomedical research fields.

Comprehensive characterization of glycoproteins on the cell surface and their interactions

ACS Spring 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.