Custom Glycosylation of Cell Membranes
Glycosylated proteins and lipids within the plasma membrane are essential mediators of intercellular communication, immune recognition, and membrane organization. Yet, controlling membrane glycosylation with precision remains a formidable challenge in biomedical research. At Creative Biolabs, we offer custom glycosylation services for membranes, enabling researchers to systematically manipulate glycosylation patterns with site-specific accuracy. Whether you're studying signal transduction or engineering disease models, our tailored solutions address complexity with clarity.
Fig.1 Integrated profiling of cell membrane glycans and associated proteins.1
What is Membrane Glycosylation and Why It Matters?
Membrane glycosylation constitutes the enzymatic attachment of complex glycan structures to membrane-embedded proteins and lipids, encompassing N-/O-linked glycoproteins and glycolipids. This co-/post-translational modification occurs primarily in the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus where glycosyltransferases sequentially assemble structurally diverse glycoforms exhibiting extraordinary heterogeneity
The biological significance of membrane glycosylation is multifaceted. It regulates membrane trafficking by directing vesicle sorting from the ER through the Golgi to the plasma membrane. Glycans also facilitate signal transduction by interacting with glycan-binding proteins such as siglecs and galectins. In disease contexts, aberrant glycosylation patterns—especially in cancer cell membranes—can enhance immune evasion and promote metastasis. Furthermore, defects in glycosylation enzymes lead to congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDGs), while glycosylated lysosomal membrane proteins are increasingly recognized as biomarkers. Importantly, the Golgi apparatus supplies glycosylated proteins to the plasma membrane, making it a central node in maintaining membrane glycosylation homeostasis. Dysregulation at any stage of this process may severely compromise membrane function and cellular health.
Our Custom Membrane Glycosylation Engineering Services
Creative Biolabs offers a suite of custom glycosylation solutions for membrane, with full compatibility for glycosylated membrane proteins, glycolipids, and vesicle engineering.
Site-Specific Glycosylation Design
We design engineered glycosylation sites based on your target sequence and structural requirements. This includes:
- Adding consensus sequences for N-glycosylation or O-glycosylation hotspots.
- Precision control for targeting extracellular vesicles with glycosylation-modified peptides.
Modification of Integral and Peripheral Membrane Proteins
Our services enable:
- Controlled glycosylation of integral membrane proteins, including multi-pass transmembrane domains.
- Modifications of GPI-anchored and lipid-anchored proteins.
- Tailored workflows for membrane protein glycosylation.
Characterization of Cell Membrane Glycosylation
Accurate characterization is critical for validating engineered glycosylation profiles and ensuring biological relevance. Creative Biolabs integrates advanced analytical tools to monitor and quantify glycan structures on membrane proteins and lipids.
- We apply LC-MS/MS-based glycomics and glycoproteomics to profile site-specific glycosylation patterns.
- We utilize lectin affinity enrichment and glycopeptide-specific HILIC strategies to enhance detection sensitivity.
Cancer and Disease Model Engineering
We specialize in reproducing aberrant glycosylation in cancer cell membranes, using glycan engineering to mimic tumor-specific glycotypes.
- Creative Biolabs helps with HCC biomarker studies by engineering core-α-1,6-fucosylated tri-antennary glycans.
- We support neuroblastoma models by reproducing the shedding of GM3 gangliosides.
- We assist in diagnostic antigen mimicry by generating underglycosylated MUC1 for immunotherapy assays.
Talk to an Expert
From Sample to Data: Streamlined Workflow & Deliverables
Our custom glycosylation services follow a robust and reproducible workflow:
- Sample Submission: Clients provide cell lines, expression vectors, or peptide sequences to initiate the project.
- Glycosylation Design: We design glycan structures and modification sites based on biological function, structural compatibility, and research goals.
- Membrane Engineering: Engineered glycosylated proteins or lipids are incorporated into cell membranes using optimized expression or assembly systems.
- Quality Control Validation: Each construct undergoes detailed validation via LC-MS/MS, glycopeptide mapping, and optional antibody-based detection.
- Final Delivery: Clients receive engineered membrane samples, analytical reports, and application-ready recommendations tailored to their research needs.
Deliverables Include
- Engineered cell or vesicle membranes with defined glycosylation.
- LC-MS/MS-based glycosylation site mapping report.
- Validated anti-glycosylated lysosomal membrane protein antibody or anti-glycosylated membrane protein antibody for downstream detection. (Optional)
Transformative Applications in Research
| Research Area | Application |
|---|---|
| Disease Mechanisms | Studying blood type lacking glycosylation or loss-of-function glycan enzymes |
| Therapeutic Development | Modeling glycan-dependent viral infection pathways |
| Diagnostics | Developing assays based on glycosylated lysosomal membrane protein antibody detection |
Why Choose Our Services?
At Creative Biolabs, we address both common and challenging targets, including:
- Mitochondrial membrane glycosylation and low-abundance peptides.
- Reconstruction of cell membrane symmetry for glycosylation, crucial for vesicle fusion and polarity.
- Reporting tools include modules analyzing the physiological significance of the glycosylation of membrane proteins, enabling data-driven insights.
Related Services
Tailored Glycosylation of Recombinant Proteins
Site-specific glycoengineering to enhance protein stability and function.
Custom Peptide Glycosylation Services
Controlled addition of glycans to short peptides for structural or immunological studies.
Antibody Glycosylation Engineering
Fc and Fab region glyco-modification to modulate effector function and pharmacokinetics.
Bacterial Surface Glycosylation Engineering
Customized glycan remodeling on bacterial membranes for vaccine and interaction studies.
Small Molecule & Nucleic Acid Glycosylation
Conjugation of glycans to drugs or oligonucleotides for improved targeting and bioavailability.
Structural modification of lipid-based molecules for membrane assembly and receptor binding research.
Reference:
- Li, Qiongyu, et al. "Characterization of cell glycocalyx with mass spectrometry methods." Cells 8.8 (2019): 882. Distributed under Open Access license CC BY 4.0, without modification. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells8080882