* glycans are a common carbohydrate found on cell surfaces that are known to modify lipids and proteins in a process called glycosylation.
* previously, it was assumed glycans only bind to lipids and proteins. the research team discovered glycans can also bind to RNA, discovering a new class of biomolecule called glycoRNA.
* subsequent experiments revealed this biomolecule is found in many different cell types, including animal, plant and microbial cells.
* glycans and RNA are traditionally distinct fields, but the lead author, ryan flynn, leveraged his RNA background to explore a question that glycan experts had considered unlikely to bear fruit.
* the immune system of people suffering from lupus, an autoimmune disease, targets several of the RNAs comprising glycoRNA. this suggests glycoRNA merits further research, as it may represent a link in pathogenesis and could offer scientists new therapeutic avenues if so.
thanks. i should have linked to the paper and highlighted key points in the comments.
i’ll do this next time.
the goal was to stimulate discussion on two points:
1) scientists discovering a fundamental biomolecule in 2021 is astounding and proves how opaque human physiology remains; how can we accelerate science and deepen our understanding? (putting papers like this in the public domain is step one.)
2) what are good research questions for probing the potential link between glycoRNA and disease?
I don't know about "astounding" and "remains opaque". From classes I actually already (mis)assumed that rna had glycans, because almost every single thing your body produces has glycans put on it, and glycoscience is a pretty established bio subfield it seems. The surprising thing to me isn't that glycans are on rna but that researchers hadn't checked, if this groups is the first to.
* glycans are a common carbohydrate found on cell surfaces that are known to modify lipids and proteins in a process called glycosylation.
* previously, it was assumed glycans only bind to lipids and proteins. the research team discovered glycans can also bind to RNA, discovering a new class of biomolecule called glycoRNA.
* subsequent experiments revealed this biomolecule is found in many different cell types, including animal, plant and microbial cells.
* glycans and RNA are traditionally distinct fields, but the lead author, ryan flynn, leveraged his RNA background to explore a question that glycan experts had considered unlikely to bear fruit.
* the immune system of people suffering from lupus, an autoimmune disease, targets several of the RNAs comprising glycoRNA. this suggests glycoRNA merits further research, as it may represent a link in pathogenesis and could offer scientists new therapeutic avenues if so.