Regulation of terminal glycosylation

The main research topics of the team concern the fundamental mechanisms controlling terminal glycosylation in the light of evolution to better understand its functional importance in metazoans. 

In particular, we study the implications of sialylated carbohydrates, focusing on gangliosides (GD2 and OAcGD2) and sialylated epitopes (sLex and Sda) in human diseases such as inflammation, breast and colon cancer, cystic fibrosis and congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG).

Integrative approaches are used that combine comparative genomics and functional genomics of glyco genes (glycosyltransferases (GTs) and sialic acid-modifying enzymes) in vertebrate models. 

Expertise in biochemical, cellular, molecular and phylogenetic studies of Golgi-glycosyltransferases (GTs) involved in the biosynthesis of sialylated carbohydrate antigens. Development of tools for glycoengineering and carbohydrate bioimaging.

We have recently gained new insights into the multi-scale regulatory mechanisms that control carbohydrate and GT expression:

- GT transcriptional/epigenetic regulation, a major regulatory mechanism underlying developmental and disease-associated changes in terminal glycosylation. 

- Subcellular compartmentalization of GTs and their functional organization into supramolecular complexes, another key determinant of terminal glycosylation in cells.

- Terminal glycosylation modification enzymes associated with inflammation and disease.

- Understanding how changes in the expression pattern and function of GTs during evolution have influenced the diversification of animal species and the development of human diseases.