Function and structure of Drosophila glycans

Through the application of classic organismal genetic strategies, such as mutagenesis and interaction screens, Drosophila melanogaster provides opportunities to understand glycan function. For instance, screens for Drosophila genes that establish dorsal-ventral polarity in the embryo or that influence cellular differentiation through signal modulation have identified putative glycan modifying enzymes. Other genetic and molecular approaches have demonstrated the existence of phylogenetically conserved and novel oligosaccharide processing activities and carbohydrate binding proteins. While the structural characterization of Drosophila oligosaccharide diversity has lagged behind the elucidation of glycan function, landmarks are becoming apparent in the carbohydrate terrain. For instance, O-linked GlcNAc and mucins, spatially and temporally regulated N-linked oligosaccharide expression, glycosphingolipids, heparan sulfate, chondroitin sulfate and polysialic acid have all been described. A major challenge for Drosophila glycobiology is to expand the oligosaccharide structural database while endeavoring to link glycan characterization to functional analysis. The completion of the Drosophila genome sequencing project will yield a broad portfolio of glycosyltransferases, glycan modifying enzymes and lectins requiring characterization. To this end, the great range of genetic tools that allow the controlled spatial and temporal expression of transgenes in Drosophila will permit unprecedented manipulation of glycosylation in a whole organism.