Group leader: Hugues Lortat-Jacob
Our work aims in particular at :
– Identifying the structural determinants involved in GAG-protein binding reactions.
– Understanding the cellular mechanisms regulating the saccharide structure of GAGs.
– Describing the mechanisms by which GAGs control protein activities.
The experimental models used are (1) pathogen attachment and entry into host cells and (2) the immune system. The characterisation of complexes between viral/bacterial proteins or cytokines and GAGs leads to the engineering of anti-infectious or anti-inflammatory oligosaccharides.
In addition, a number of methodologicl approaches (including GAG-on-chip ; sequencing ; NMR) are developed for the analysis of GAG/protein interactions.
High-resolution structures of GAG biosynthesis enzymes and protein-GAG complexes are studied by single-particle cryo-electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography.