Chemical tools to discover and target bacterial glycoproteins

Abstract

Bacterial protein glycosylation is an important post-translational modification that can distinguish pathogenic bacteria from human cells. This review discusses recent findings in the field of bacterial glycobiology, with a particular focus on the unusual structures of bacterial glycans and their link to pathogenesis. We then describe how chemical tools can augment the study of this class of biomolecules, offering the potential to unveil novel pathogen-associated targets. Finally, this article highlights recent advances in targeting bacteria with therapeutics based on their unique glycans.