De Novo Structural Determination of the Oligosaccharide Structure of Hemocyanins from Molluscs.

A number of studies have shown that glycosylation of proteins plays diverse functions in the lives of organisms, has crucial biological and physiological roles in pathogen-host interactions, and is involved in a large number of biological events in the immune system, and in virus and bacteria recognition. The large amount of scientific interest in glycoproteins of molluscan hemocyanins is due not only to their complex quaternary structures, but also to the great diversity of their oligosaccharide structures with a high carbohydrate content (2-9%). This great variety is due to their specific monosaccharide composition and different side chain composition.