SugarBind

SugarBind catalogs glycan-protein binding data linking pathogen lectins and biotoxin lectins to their carbohydrate ligands to support glycobiology and host–pathogen interaction research.

Key Features:

• Database identity: Referred to as SugarBindDB and focused on carbohydrate ligands associated with pathogen lectins and biotoxin lectins.
• Data compilation: Aggregates glycan binding interactions reported in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
• Queryable data structure: Structured to enable query-based retrieval of lectins and their associated carbohydrate ligands.
• Standardized nomenclature: Represents glycans using the condensed IUPAC form of carbohydrate nomenclature.
• Database integration: Integrated into the UniCarbKB initiative and hosted on the ExPASy server by the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics.
• Visualization formats (planned): Future options are indicated for displaying glycans in modified 2D condensed IUPAC and symbolic nomenclature.

Scientific Applications:

• Glycobiology of infectious disease: Supports studies of host–pathogen interactions by linking pathogen and biotoxin lectins to their carbohydrate ligands.
• Microbial adhesion and virulence research: Enables analysis of lectin-mediated microbial adhesion mechanisms and identification of potential therapeutic targets.
• Glycan structural analysis: Facilitates comparison and interpretation of human oligosaccharide structures using standardized nomenclature.

Methodology:

Aggregates data from peer-reviewed literature, structures entries for query-based retrieval, represents glycans in condensed IUPAC form, and integrates records into UniCarbKB on the ExPASy platform.