Carbohydrates and glycoproteins play central roles in cellular invasion or infection by pathogens and the innate arm of the host immune system. For example, pathogens can adopt or mimic carbohydrate structures (epitopes or determinants) of the host to bind to key carbohydrate receptors to evade detection or enter host cells, which can include interactions with innate effector cells. Alternatively, pathogen carbohydrate binding proteins can target carbohydrate determinants of the host to either enter cells or inhibit key pathways of the host innate immune system. Likewise, the host has a multitude of carbohydrates, glycoproteins as well as cell-surface and secreted carbohydrate binding proteins that are engaged in the complex processes and pathways of the innate immune system. However, only in recent years have the experimental approaches started to catch up with the complexity of carbohydrate-protein interactions that are involved in pathogen invasion and host innate immunity. In this Research Topic, we will focus on the latest advances and discoveries surrounding the glycobiology of innate immunity and pathogen-host interactions. Submissions should fit within the scope of the molecular and structural aspects of this Research Topic and may include investigations of carbohydrate interaction/recognition, structural characterization (NMR and crystallography), computational biology, glycomics (mass-spectrometry and glycan/lectin arrays) and carbohydrate-mediated signalling pathways.
Carbohydrates and glycoproteins play central roles in cellular invasion or infection by pathogens and the innate arm of the host immune system. For example, pathogens can adopt or mimic carbohydrate structures (epitopes or determinants) of the host to bind to key carbohydrate receptors to evade detection or enter host cells, which can include interactions with innate effector cells. Alternatively, pathogen carbohydrate binding proteins can target carbohydrate determinants of the host to either enter cells or inhibit key pathways of the host innate immune system. Likewise, the host has a multitude of carbohydrates, glycoproteins as well as cell-surface and secreted carbohydrate binding proteins that are engaged in the complex processes and pathways of the innate immune system. However, only in recent years have the experimental approaches started to catch up with the complexity of carbohydrate-protein interactions that are involved in pathogen invasion and host innate immunity. In this Research Topic, we will focus on the latest advances and discoveries surrounding the glycobiology of innate immunity and pathogen-host interactions. Submissions should fit within the scope of the molecular and structural aspects of this Research Topic and may include investigations of carbohydrate interaction/recognition, structural characterization (NMR and crystallography), computational biology, glycomics (mass-spectrometry and glycan/lectin arrays) and carbohydrate-mediated signalling pathways.