Current Organic Chemistry - Volume 11, Issue 7, 2007

The present issue of Current Organic Chemistry is devoted to complex glycoconjugates with special emphasis on those glyconjugates that contribute to the structural and functional properties of membranes Glycosphingolipids are reviewed by Wedeking and van Echten-Deckert for their structural contributions to membranes, especially from the point of view of the specific microdomain properties they impart to the outer Read More

Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) are amphiphilic membrane components of all eukaryotic cells. They are located primarily in the plasma membrane and to a lesser extend in intracellular membranes of related organelles. Even some bacteria are known to synthesize GSLs or at least use GSLs generated by hosts. Gangliosides, a group of complex sialic acidcontaining GSLs are particularly abundant in the central nervous system Read More

Understanding the chemistry and biology of protein glycosylation is a major challenge in proteomics and glycomics research. Due to their pivotal role in the biosynthesis of complex oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates, protein glycosylation enzymes are targets of choice for the development of inhibitors. Glycosyltransferase and glypiation (GPI anchoring) inhibitors that are of potential therapeutic value for the treatment of dis Read More

GPI-anchored proteins are ubiquitously expressed on eukaryotic cell surfaces and are involved in a variety of vital functions ranging from adhesion to enzymatic catalysis. This review focuses on GPI-anchored proteins in malaria and the role of carbohydrate moieties in malarial proteins. Malaria remains a formidable threat to human beings even in the twenty-first century. Malaria vaccine development to prevent morbidity and m Read More

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) moieties consist of a hydrophobic core (two to three fatty acids attached to phosphatidylinositol) continued by a chain of five hexoses (the glycolinker) that is covalently linked via phosphoethanolamine to the C-terminal amino acid of a long list of mammalian proteins. This glycolipid moiety imparts characteristic membrane properties (diffusion, lateral mobility and clustering) to proteins and th Read More

Isoforms of the neuronal cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) carrying the linear homopolymer of alpha 2,8-linked sialic acid (polysialic acid, PSA) have emerged as particularly attractive candidates for promoting plasticity in the nervous system. The large negatively charged PSA chain of NCAM is considered as a spacer that reduces adhesion forces between cells allowing dynamic changes in membrane contacts. However, accumu Read More

Halogen dance (HD) reaction is an important tool in modern organic chemistry. This reaction is defined as halogen migration induced by bases, normally in aromatic and heteroaromatic systems. It is successfully applied in aromatic and different classes of heteroaromatic compounds, such as thiophene, quinoline, pyridine, thiazole, and many others. Due to the importance of this reaction, the aim of this review is to discuss t Read More

A novel phthalocyanine derivative containing a Ca2+ chelating agent with structure similar to EDTA has been synthesized in 3 steps. The addition of a chelating agent to the phthalocyanine macrocycle make it a synergic compound useful for PDT.