Group Sorge, Nina van

Bacterial Glycobiology

Bacteria produce many glycosylated structures and polysaccharides, including polysaccharide capsule, teichoic acids, and N- and O-linked glycosylated proteins. The ease of whole genome sequencing has accelerated identification of the involved biosynthesis genes, but experimental data to support a gene-structure relationship is often lacking. By a combination of bacterial mutagenesis, glycoanalysis, bacteriological and immunological in vitro assays and animal infection studies, we aim to elucidate the role of surface glycans in bacterial infectious diseases.