My 30 years in the dream of the structural analyses of the N-linked oligosaccharides: The discovery of glycoamidase a to the development of the GALAXY database

Abstract

Thirty years ago, I discovered a new enzyme, glycoamidase A that cleaves carbohydrate moiety from glycopeptides without affecting peptide structures. This brought me to determination that I should commit comprehensive analysis of N-linked oligosaccharide structures in glycoproteins by using this enzyme. Now, the HPLC mapping method developed by myself is a powerful tool to identify the structures of N-glycans. Here I described my 30 years in the dream of the structural analyses of the N-linked oligosaccharides from the discovery of glycoamidase A to the development of the GALAXY database. © 2009 FCCA (Forum: Carbohydrates Coming of Age).