About this Research Topic
Carbohydrates are essential biomolecules with multiple roles ranging from structural macromolecules (cellulose, hemicellulose, etc.), carbon and energy storage (glycogen, paramylon, laminarin, etc.) to recognition and signaling between cells and organisms. Moreover, carbohydrates can include mono- or oligosaccharides (such as floridoside) or polymers, which may in turn be composed of only one variety of sugar as in glycogen and laminarin (homopolymers), or by multiple sugars, like carrageenans or ulvans (heteropolymers). At variance with polypeptides and nucleic acids, glycan polymers can be linear or branched, and also be linked to proteins or lipids. Their complex structure analyses an important task to elucidate the biology of organisms.
Thus, carbohydrate metabolism encompasses a wide range of pathways from the inner cell to the outside and play a central function for cell interactions and function. Altogether, enzymes required for biosynthesis and degradation of glycans are really diverse, amounting to up to 5% of the genome of an organism.
In algae, thanks to photosynthesis, carbohydrates are omnipresent which make them important to understand physiology, evolution and ecology of those organisms. In addition, knowledge acquired in this research area has been central for biotechnological applications leading to higher yield and economic improvements.
However, despite an increase in available data our knowledge is still lacking in carbohydrate metabolism, regulations and evolution in algae, and should be further explored, in order to clearly understand their roles in cell biology and physiology which ultimately will lead to better use in biotechnology.
In this Research Topic, we aim to assemble a set of articles about carbohydrates in algae. Several aspects could be developed:
• Metabolism analysis of carbohydrates
• Enzymological studies of algal carbohydrate active enzymes
• Physiological research linked to carbohydrates
• Evolutionary aspects of carbohydrate metabolism and its regulation
• Structural analysis of algal carbohydrates
• Biotechnological research related to carbohydrate metabolism
Thus, carbohydrate metabolism encompasses a wide range of pathways from the inner cell to the outside and play a central function for cell interactions and function. Altogether, enzymes required for biosynthesis and degradation of glycans are really diverse, amounting to up to 5% of the genome of an organism.
In algae, thanks to photosynthesis, carbohydrates are omnipresent which make them important to understand physiology, evolution and ecology of those organisms. In addition, knowledge acquired in this research area has been central for biotechnological applications leading to higher yield and economic improvements.
However, despite an increase in available data our knowledge is still lacking in carbohydrate metabolism, regulations and evolution in algae, and should be further explored, in order to clearly understand their roles in cell biology and physiology which ultimately will lead to better use in biotechnology.
In this Research Topic, we aim to assemble a set of articles about carbohydrates in algae. Several aspects could be developed:
• Metabolism analysis of carbohydrates
• Enzymological studies of algal carbohydrate active enzymes
• Physiological research linked to carbohydrates
• Evolutionary aspects of carbohydrate metabolism and its regulation
• Structural analysis of algal carbohydrates
• Biotechnological research related to carbohydrate metabolism
Keywords: glycans, carbohydrates, algae, metabolism, evolution
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