Glycoconjugates:

Glycoconjugate is a carbohydrate which covalently links with other chemical species. It plays a vital role in cell to cell interaction, cell recognition and cell inclusion and also interaction of cell with matrix.

Types of glycoconjugates:

Depending on the covalent linkage they are classified as below:

• Glycoprotein,
• Glycopeptides,
• Peptidoglycan,
• Glycolipids and
• Lipopolysaccharides

Glycoprotein: Glycoproteins are proteins that are attached with carbohydrate derivatives covalently linked to polypeptide chains. The carbohydrate derivative can be monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosacchracides or polysaccharides. They play vital role in eukaryotic cell biological processes that is the basic formation of proteins, enzymes or even hormones.

Glycopeptides: They are peptides where the carbohydrate units are attached to amino acid residues. This helps in development of brain and endocrine, improved immune system and in fertilization.

Peptidoglycan: It is also referred to as Murein, a polymer produced from sugar and amino acids. Cell wall of bacterial cell is made of peptidoglycan. It helps in cell structure maintenance and involved in binary fission during cell production of bacterial cell. It consists of two amino sugars NAG and NAM.

Glycolipids: They are lipids attached to a carbohydrate. When carbohydrate links with phospholipids on exoplasmic surface, glycolipids are produced. It act as marker for recognition of cell during cell to cell interaction and provides more energy.

Lipopolysaccharide: It is also referred to as lipoglycans. Here lipid is covalently linked to a polysaccharide molecule. It is found on the outer membrane of Gram negative bacteria. It acts as endotoxins and increases the immune system response in animals. It helps in structural stability of bacteria by avoiding chemical attacks.